Hidden
by Lady Phoenix Fire Rose
Summary: As soon as Harry saves Ginny, in the Chamber of secrets, they disappear. Thought to be dead by most, they suddenly show up again years later, greatly changed. On Temporary Hiatus!
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: If I owned the books, you would have seen a lot more of Ginny. As she is one of my favorite character. As I don't own them, sadly she doesn't show up nearly enough._

_A/N: I know I had something else here, but I lost going over the story to make minor edits... ah well. Read and enjoy!_

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><p><span><strong>Prologue<strong>

Riddle screamed an unearthly scream as Harry stabbed his diary multiple times, before exploding.

Harry was exhausted. He stood and staggered to where Ginny lay unmoving on the ground. He took her hand. She stirred, slowly opening her eyes, she blinked several times. Her gaze moved to their intertwined hands as she sat up slowly and carefully.

"Harry?" she asked hesitantly. She seemed to be on the verge of tears. There were already tears glistening in her eyes, looking ready to fall.

"Yes Ginny, it's me," he said as the tears started to fall freely down her face. He pulled her into a hug and let her cry freely on his shoulder. "It's okay Ginny, you're safe now. The diary is destroyed, Riddle is gone, the Basilisk is dead. They can't hurt you any more, or use you to hurt anyone else," he whispered comfortingly into her ear as she cried.

"I was so scared. I couldn't stop him. He made me do it," she said through her tears.

"I know Ginny, I know," he replied. "No one is going to blame you. Everything will be alright. You have nothing to worry about." He continued to speak soothingly in her ear, until her crying finely died away and she fell asleep in his arms. He rested his head on top of hers and closed his eyes. He drifted to sleep with her still in his arms.

There was a blinding flash of light and they were gone. All that was left inside as Fawkes flew out of the chamber was a dead and bleeding basilisk, a destroyed diary (with a fang still protruding from it), lots of blood (not only from the basilisk) and ink covering the floor, the sorting hat, and the sword of Gryffindor glinting brightly in the dark cavern.

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Just as Dumbledore returned to the castle, Fawkes flashed to being right in front of him. He knew immediately what the phoenix wanted. He grabbed a hold of Fawkes's tail and was flashed into the chamber where Ronald Weasley and Gilderoy Lockhart were trapped on one side of cave in. Lockhart was out cold, so he turned to the Weasley boy.

"Mr. Weasley, what has happened here?" asked Dumbledore.

"Harry and I overheard Professor McGonagall say that Ginny was the one taken into the Chamber. We also heard that Professor Lockhart was to go and rescue her. Earlier we found this in Hermione's hand," said Ron. He was nervous about talking to the Great Albus Dumbledore, his headmaster, for the first time that he was talking so fast that Dumbledore barely caught what he said. As he said that last line he pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment and handed it to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore took the parchment, smoothed it out, and looked it over realizing what it meant. "It's a basilisk," he stated.

"That's what Harry and I thought after looking at it. We went to tell Professor Lockhart what we found, when we found him packing and planing to make a run for it. We forced him to come with us. We were trying to decide were the chamber was located, when Harry remembered hearing about a girl dying in a bathroom last time. We decided to talk to Myrtle, because she haunts a bathroom. She told us that the last thing she remembered before dying was a pair of great big yellow eyes by one of the sinks. We looked over the sinks and found a snake carved into one of the faucets, Harry used Parsletongue and the sink moved aside to show a large pipe. Lockhart jumped down first, when he shouted it was safe Harry and I followed. We followed the tunnel for a ways and came across that skin over there," he pointed to the basilisk skin. "Lockhart tricked us and stole my wand. He tried to Obliviate Harry, but the spell backfired and hit him, as well as causing this cave in. He hasn't moved since. Harry was trapped on the other side of the cave in. He decided to continue on and rescue Ginny, while I move these rocks out of the way so they could get back through," Ron finished the story.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore in an even voice. He was greatly troubled by this news, he just didn't show it. He pulled out his and flicked it, causing the fallen rocks to make enough room for him to walk through. He strode through the archway, Ron following quickly.

They came across a doorway with snakes carved into it. It was already open, and they went through it without pause. Through the door they came across a walkway with huge great statues along the sides. At the end the end of the walkway there was a huge statue of a man, its mouth was open. At the foot of the statue was the basilisk. It was dead. Blood was gushing from the roof of its mouth and the top of its head. On the floor beside was a gleaming sword, with a ruby encrusted hilt. Its blade was covered in blood. There was a little, black diary on the ground sitting in a pool of ink, which flowed like blood from the many holes in it, around the fang protruding from it. The only other thing that was there was the Sorting Hat laying crumpled on the floor.

There was absolutely no sign what so ever of Harry or Ginny. Even their wands were missing.

**-End Prologue-**


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: If I owned the books, you would have seen a lot more of Ginny. As she is one of my favorite character. As I don't own them, sadly she doesn't show up nearly enough._

_A/N: I know I had something else here, but I lost going over the story to make minor edits... ah well. Read and enjoy!_

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><p><em><span><strong>Chapter 1<strong>_

Four years had passed since the Boy-Who-Lived went to rescue Ginevra Weasley and didn't return. They were both declared dead after a thorough search of the Chamber of Secrets, and later the largest manhunt that the magical world has ever seen. Both searches turned up nothing related to their whereabouts, or what could possibly have happened to them.

No one was able to find out what had happened in the Chamber after the cave in, but there had been great speculation. The most commonly believed story was that Harry came swooping into the chamber, killed the basilisk, and saved Ginny; but the opener of the chamber angry at Harry for killing the monster, bound them and took them with him as he fled through some unknown way from Hogwarts-very few people actually know about the diary. The first part of the story (the part without their untimely demise) had become a children's fairy tale, often told to little girls. Not a single witch or wizard in all of Britain did not know of the tale of the Boy-Who-Lived and his tragic rescue of the girl who stole his heart.

A memorial was built for the both of them in front of Hogwarts. It was to honor the Boy-Who-Lived, their hero, and the girl who was worthy of his great sacrifice involved in rescuing her. It was a life-sized and life-like statue of Harry standing over a dead basilisk (its eyes were closed, it was also not the actual size of the one in the Chamber, twenty-five feet long as opposed to sixty), with the sword of Gryffindor in his right hand raised in triumph, and his left arm wrapped around Ginny as she clung to him for dear life, with her face buried in his shoulder. The wind appeared to sweep through his hair, leaving his scar in prominent view on his forehead. It was completely a white marble flecked with red and gold, except for Harry's eyes; they were actually emeralds. It was so life like that not a freckle was out of place (in fact many people claimed that it could come alive-even though it was widely known fact that the only spells placed on it where to prevent wear and tear, or people from deliberately harming it). Engraved around the base of it was the tale of what happened in the Chamber. All in all it was a rather imposing and endearing sight at the same time.

It was September the first of what would have been Harry's sixth year of Hogwarts. Inside the Great Hall dinner was in full swing with the sorting already finished. The mood was grim, though, for over the past couple of years people had started to disappear, sometimes they would turn up dead later. It had started with Bertha Jorkins, and then later the disappearance of Cedric Diggory, the Hogwarts champion, at the end of the Triwizard Tournament. Over the months since Diggory's disappearance many more witches and wizards have either disappeared without a trace, or disappeared and later, were found dead. No one had any idea what was going on, the only reason that students still came to Hogwarts was because the parents believed that they would be safe there with Dumbledore in charge. It was widely believed that these disappearances were caused by whoever had opened the Chamber of Secrets four years ago, and that the only reason he was able to capture Harry and Ginny was because Dumbledore was removed from the school.

Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger had remained friends after the disappearance of their other best friend and Ron's sister. They had even started dating two years previously, after Ron decided to buckle down and ask her out to the Yule Ball before someone else did. Which was a good thing, because Victor Krum (international Quidditch star and the Durmstrang champion for the tournament) asked her out just the next day, but she refused having already said yes to Ron. After their loss of friend and sister they had to use each other as a crutch to keep going, and by doing so it made them even closer than before. They were so close that other students believed that they were dating months before they actually started to. Their love for each other was so obvious that a blind man could see it. They would never admit it, though.

They had decided to honor Harry by helping people, after all it was what he was best at. They started by befriending the loners, namely Neville Longbottom (a quiet Gryffindor boy in their year) and Luna Lovegood (an eccentric Ravenclaw girl a year bellow them). Hermione had started a study group, which consisted of students from all houses and years (even Slytherins, although most of them were in the younger years-the most notable exception to this was Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis, girls in Ron and Hermione's year). The size of the group varied from time to time, but never consisted of less then twenty students excluding Hermione and Ron. The group took care of anything and everything school related that any of the students might need, from bullying to helping with homework. Doing things like that they quickly became the most popular students in the school. They were well liked by just about everyone, the most vociferous of the people against them was Draco Malfoy and very select group of Slytherins that followed him.

They were the first to make friends with the foreign students that came for the Triwizard Tournament, Fleur Delacour and Victor Krum-the other schools' champions-among them. Another good friend of theirs was Cedric Diggory; they were quite upset that he had vanished.

It came as no surprise to anyone when they became Gryffindor prefects for their fifth year. They had to be the most sought after prefects in hundreds of years. It was a widely believed fact that they where going to become Head Boy and Girl next year.

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Outside of the castle standing in the light of the moon, under the clear sky were two figures shrouded by cloaks. There was nothing on them that gave any indication as to what their identities were. All you could tell about them was that one was female, while the other was male. The female's cloak was a midnight blue, the male's cloak was a deep, almost black forest green. The male was tall and muscular, although he still had a fairly lean frame. He was somewhere around 6'2". The woman was above average height for a woman, about 5'6". She was also muscular and lean.

They were gazing at the memorial.

"This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen!" said the woman. "I knew they made a memorial, but I never thought that it would be this bad."

The man nodded in agreement. "Just goes to show that the wizarding world is full of idiots. They turned it into a fairy tale of all things. If you want to honor someone you do not make them a fairy tale." His voice contained more than a hint of resentment. His hand twitched as if to draw his wand, but he stilled it immediately. The woman moved to take his hand, and leaned her head on his arm.

They remained like that for several minutes, then the woman sighed. "It is time for us to return home, isn't it?" she stated more than asked. She spoke softly, there was also regret clearly present in her voice.

"Yes my love, it is time!" replied the man. His voice was also soft and laced with regret.

They turned to walk into the school, their hands remained joined. They paused at the doors to the Great Hall. The woman sighed in regret again, and the man took a deep calming breath. With their free hands together they pushed the doors open and entered the Great Hall.

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"Honestly Ron, can't you eat any slower?" asked Hermione, exasperatedly.

"Sorry 'Mione," said Ron, after swallowing his mouthful. He looked at her with concern.

Hermione's eyes kept glancing back and forth across the Great Hall, as if looking for something or rather someone. She kept fidgeting around in her seat, and she scarcely ate. What food that was on her plate she absentmindedly was shredding with her hands. When ever someone stood her eyes immediately jumped to them, but she always looked away shortly in disappointment not finding what she was after.

"They are not coming Hermione," sad Ron, sadly, taking her hand and rubbing the back of it with his thumb.

She did this at the Start of Term Feast every year for the past four years, always for the same reason looking for them, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. They were some of the few people who never really believed that two were dead. It didn't seem possible, Harry was only twelve and Ginny she was only eleven. How could they be dead? It just could not be possible. It didn't feel right for them to believe that Harry and Ginny were dead, somehow they just felt that the two were still alive somewhere and that they would return at the Start of Term Feast one year, they just didn't know which one. So every year Hermione would look for them, and Ron would secretly wait (even as he told Hermione they weren't coming) hoping beyond hope that this year would be the one that the two would show up and return to them. That this year would be the one that he got his best friend and sister back. Sadly every year it was the same. Nothing, absolutely nothing. They never showed up. They were dead, right? That is what everyone believed. How could they show up? But Ron and Hermione couldn't bring themselves to believe it as well. If they did at this point it would make them as good as dead.

So every year once a week, at the minimum, starting on the second of September they would visit the memorial. They didn't much care for it, they knew that Harry and Ginny would not like it. That they would find it offensive, Ginny would despise being depicted as helpless and Harry would despise being made into this great and tragic hero. But it gave them a feeling of closeness to their long lost friends. They would just sit out there quietly for hours on end, or sometimes they would talk to it. They talked about what was going on in the world in general, how Mrs. Weasley recently found out she was pregnant again, how Bill and Fleur had gotten married this passed Summer, how much they missed Harry and Ginny and how they hoped that the two would return home soon, they even talked about what they were doing in their classes. They just talked about whatever came to mind. No one bothered them while they were out there, they quickly learned the consequences of messing with the two. The most serious case consisted of Draco Malfoy staying the Hospital Wing for two weeks.

"I know Ron, I know," Hermione cried, as he pulled her into a tight and comforting hug, tears started to form in her eyes. "But I can't help it. I can't help searching for him, for them. I can't help hoping, wishing that that they would just show up. I just can't help it!" The tears started to fall at those last words. She hid her face in his shoulder to hide the tears.

"I know Hermione. I know. It is the same for me," he said, as he rested his head on top of hers and rubbed her back. There were tears forming in his eyes as well. This was always the most difficult time of the year for them. Each year it was harder for them than the last. Everyone else just watched on in silence, knowing that there was nothing they could do for the two, it was something that they had to deal with on their own; not that they would accept the help even if it could be given. Every year their friends watched them deal with their loss helplessly, wishing that there was something that they could do, but no one could bring back the dead and that was the only thing that would completely stop the two's pain.

Every year it was the same.

Just then the doors to the Great Hall were thrown open, causing everyone to jump. Ron and Hermione separated faster than you could blink, though they did keep a hold of each other's hands. They, along with everybody else, turned towards the Entrance Hall. Standing in the doorway were two figures. One was obviously male, he wore an almost black forest green colored cloak hiding his face. The other was female, and she wore a midnight blue cloak that hid her face as well. They were also holding hands. They paused for only moment before strolling up to the head table, to Dumbledore to be more precise. When they reached him, the male pulled out a small pouch and emptied the contents out right onto the table in front of Dumbledore. Ron and Hermione saw sparkling gold silver things fall to the table. Dumbledore spoke quietly and quickly to the two newcomers for a few minutes, as everyone watched on in silent curiosity. Not even the people sitting right beside of him were able to discern what was being said. The man shook his head in response to Dumbledore before he collected everything he dropped and put it back in to the pouch. Then he and the female moved to stand against a wall. They watched the Great Hall making no sound nor movement.

It was unnerving to watch them stand there as still as statues, so everyone turned away from them and back to their own conversations; but many glances were sent their way, it's just that no one could stand to look at them for very long. The sound level did not make it back the level it was before they arrived, but it did return. It appeared that the students were uncomfortable talking in more than a whisper with the newcomers watching. Even the teachers were reluctant to speak. This did not go unnoticed by the strangers; they were smirking underneath their hoods, although none could see it.

The unwillingness to speak any louder than a whisper did not stop the students from talking about the two new arrivals. In fact many a rumor was started before dinner was even finished. They ranged from from the newcomers being vampires to them being Dumbledore's grandchildren or great-grandchildren or great-great-grandchildren or however-many-greats-it-takes-grandchildren. Luna Lovegood even proposed that the man was Stubby Boardman's younger brother, no one believed her though. Each rumor was wilder than the last. The newcomers favorite rumor was the one claiming that the man was Snape's long lost brother, if the student only knew. The most extravagant rumor claimed that they where the children of some unknown extremely powerful witch and wizard and that they had come to take over the world starting with Hogwarts. None of the rumors were anywhere close to approaching the truth.

When the feast ended Dumbledore stood and gave the usual announcements. He introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Gabriel Van Helsing. When he was finished he nodded slightly towards the newcomers. The man nodded slightly in return, quickly and silently slipped out of hall, unnoticed by the distracted students.

Ron and Hermione were leaving the Great Hall when Professor McGonagall came up to them. "Mr. Weasley. Miss Granger," she said, by way of greeting. "The headmaster would like to see the two of you in his office immediately."

They exchanged a glance, and then shrugged at each other by way of reply to the other's unasked question of why they were wanted. They nodded in understanding to McGonagall and followed her out of the hall and to the Headmaster's Office. When they reached the Gargoyle she gave the password, "Ice mice," and they climbed onto the winding staircase and rode it up to the office. When they reached the door a voice said "Enter," before they could even knock. Already inside the office were the other three heads of house and the new defense teacher, Professor Van Helsing.

"Ah, Minerva you brought them, thank you," said Dumbledore, the twinkle in his eyes brighter than usual.

"Albus why are there students here?" asked Sprout.

"Because I asked for them to be here!" said a new voice, that no one recognized. They all looked around, not finding its source until the two newcomers stepped out of the shadows. Everyone except Van Helsing was startled by their appearance. It was the man who spoke. He seemed to be the spokesperson of the couple. "I see that nothing has changed since I have last been in here!"

This seemed to shock Dumbledore, "You have been in my office before?"

"Why yes, I have," said the man, giving no farther explanation. He seemed to examine everyone in the room, though it was hard to tell because he still had his hood up. He stopped when he reached Van

Helsing. "Gabriel, it is good to see you again."

"And you, the both of you," said Van Helsing in reply.

"You know each other?" said McGonagall, in shock. Though, it was more like a question.

"We've met!" was all the reply that she got.

"Stop giving cryptic answers and explain who you and what you are doing here immediately!" demanded Snape, angrily. He was more than annoyed with dealing with the mysterious strangers who were wasting his precious time.

"Now, now where would the fun in that be?" asked the man, you could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

He would have continued but the woman stopped him by placing a hand on his arm. "Darling, you do not need to patronize the poor man," she said, speaking for the first time. Though, you could also almost hear the smirk in her voice as well. Snape bristled at being referred to as poor, but didn't say anything.

Dumbledore was about to open his mouth to speak, but the man beat him to it. "No need for introductions Headmaster. We already know who everyone is. Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, also Head of Gryffindor house. Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House. Professor Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw House. Professor Pomona Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff House. Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley, sixth year Prefect of Gryffindor. Miss Hermione Jean Granger, the other sixth year Prefect of Gryffindor," he said, pointing to each in turn. "You already knew that we knew you and Gabriel."

"Excuse me, sir?" asked Hermione, nervously.

"There is no need for you refer to me as sir," said the man, there was definitely the sound of amusement in his voice. "What is it that you want to ask, Hermione?"

She felt oddly comforted that he called her by given name instead of Granger or Ms. Granger or something as less familiar as her first name, for some reason. She could not place why. He just seemed familiar. "How do know us? And why did you ask for Ron and me to be here?" she asked, sounding much less nervous than before.

It was the woman to speak in reply this time. "To answer both your questions, Hermione, it is because we have met before. Though, you do not recognize us. It was only a matter of time before we would meet again. And now that time has come!"

Hermione's eyes widened in shock. Her mind quickly rushing through all of the possibilities, but only one really, truly, completely stood out among them all. "It can't be!" she whispered, shocked. Though she whispered everyone heard her, Gabriel smiled understanding what she had just realized. Her eyes kept glancing back and forth between the two hooded figures. Her mind found no other plausible possibilities. "But why? How? When?" she asked, her voice was still almost a whisper. It was slightly louder than before, though.

"What do you mean Her-" started Ron before he cut himself off. His eyes lit up with realization as he stopped speaking. "Oh, oh," he repeated it over several more times before stopping. He knew that there was only one thing that would cause Hermione react like that, and he knew exactly what it was. He repeated Hermione as soon as he stopped repeating himself. "But why? How? When?"

Everyone else was completely confused and lost at the proceedings. Some of them where even somewhat concerned about what this could possibly mean. Van Helsing seemed to be the only teacher not to be confused and/or concerned about what was going on. In fact, he seemed to know exactly what was going on and what they were talking about.

"We had no choice. How will be answered later. And as to when, it was only this afternoon. Somewhere around five to be exact," replied the man, as he and the woman removed their hoods.

Dumbledore's eyes widened in recognition. No one else recognized the newcomers, however, until Ron and Hermione shouted at exactly the same time, "Harry. Ginny," before rushing towards them. Hermione pulled Harry into tight hug, and Ron pulled his sister into an equally tight hug.

All of the teachers stood/sat there with their mouths open in shock (even Snape and Dumbledore), except for Van Helsing.

**-Chapter End-**


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: If I owned the books, you would have seen a lot more of Ginny. As she is one of my favorite character. As I don't own them, sadly she doesn't show up nearly enough._

_A/N: I know I had something else here, but I lost going over the story to make minor edits... ah well. Read and enjoy!_

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><p><strong><em><span>Chapter 2<span>_**

Snape was the first recover from his shock, quickly closing his mouth and resuming his normal glare. It was more intense than normal, he was furious. Potter dared to return and ruin his peace that he was enjoying without the Potter brat being around. The brat was supposed to be dead, and he should have stayed dead. Even if he wasn't actually dead he should have stayed wherever he was; he wasn't wanted here.

McGonagall and Dumbledore were quick to follow in resuming their normal countenance. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brighter than usual, much brighter than they had in years; for the twinkle had dimmed at Harry's and Ginny's disappearance, until earlier that night when the original twinkle resumed at the arrival of the cloaked couple. He knew that they were going to bring some good and happy news that everyone has been waiting for. Flitwick and Sprout didn't bother to hide their shock and glee, as was the normal occurrence for them. They were known as very kindly and open teachers, so they acted as such.

When Ron and Hermione disengaged from Harry and Ginny, everyone in the room was able to examine them more closely without the couple blocking the view.

Harry had let his hair grow out, he now wore it in a pony tail that reached his shoulder blades. It had also darkened; it used to be an extremely inky black, now it was pitch black. He was almost as tall as Ron was, the height was so close that you couldn't even tell who was taller without them standing right beside each other; Ron was about half an inch taller. He was now much more muscular than he used to be; not the big and bulky kind, but the lean, sinewy, and athletic kind, like you would find in runners and martial artists. His eyes were much brighter green, they seemed to glow with their brightness; he no longer wore his glasses, which left them in a much more striking view. They held knowledge and wisdom, something that no one his age should have. His scar had faded so much that it was practically invisible. His robes and cloak were made out of a very fine silk, that flowed like water and the light shone off of them like it was reflecting from the surface of water.

Ginny's robes and cloak were exactly the same, except blue instead of green. She was no longer very petite, she was almost an inch taller than Hermione. Her hair had also darkened into a very rich, deep red that went just past her shoulder blades. It was still a flaming red just a darker shade than the rest of her family's. She was still just as freckly as ever. Her eyes also now glowed and held knowledge and wisdom.

"Harry, your eyes they're fixed!" exclaimed Ron, after he had finished examining them thoroughly.

"Yes, where we were had the abilities to heal my eyes," replied Harry.

"What happened to you two? We thought you were dead. Well, everyone except for Ron and me-we knew you were alive. We never really believed for one moment that you were actually dead, but everyone else did. We'd wait for you at he start of term feast every year. We knew that was when and where that you would show up and return to us. We just didn't know what year it would be, but we knew it that had to be before the end of our seventh year," Hermione babbled away excitedly, not noticing that she was babbling. She was just so happy that she and Ron had been right all those years, and everyone who claimed that they weren't right had been proven wrong; she couldn't help but to babble. _Harry's back, and Ginny too. I can't believe it, Ron and I were right, we were right all along, despite no one believing us. I can't believe it._

"Hermione, you're rambling," laughed Harry.

She blushed a slight shade of pink, when she realized that she was indeed rambling. She muttered, "Sorry," looking at her feet in embarrassment.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him. He smiled at her reassuringly. "It is good to know that I have such faithful friends, and Ginny has such a faithful brother. We know what you two have done over the years for us. Thank you. For you to have done what you did for us shows how much you know us, and as you can see there are not many people who really know us as well as you two do. It also shows what true friends you are and we are very grateful for it."

"Could you get on with it. No one cares about your personal life," sneered Snape. He received glares from just about everyone in the room, even several of the portraits, for saying this. He paid them no heed as he continued to glare at Harry.

Harry smirked. "Now what would be the fun in that?"

Ginny smirked as well "I do not see any," she said, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Why I have to say that it is definitely much more fun not to tell them."

"You are right my dear," said Harry, as he continued to smirk. His eyes got the same mischievous glint in them that Ginny's had. He took her into his arms, so that she was facing everyone in the room, and rested his chin on her shoulder. "If we were to 'get on with it' as you say it would ruin all of our fun."

Laughter filled the room. Everyone looked around trying to find where it was coming from. They found the source to be Van Helsing, he was clutching his sides from laughing so hard.

"Was right," he choked out, as tried to subside his roaring laughter. It appeared to be a lost cause, as he continued to laugh for several minutes. Finally he was able to calm down enough to speak, "I was right. You two really are worse than Dumbledore!" before continuing his laughter even harder than before.

"Pray tell, what do you mean by that?" asked McGonagall, raising an eyebrow in surprise at that statement.

Van Helsing just shook his head in reply, unable to answer because of his still uncontrollable laughter.

"It is official," said Harry, exchanging a glance with Ginny. "We were right, and-"

"He is the crazy one," Ginny finished for him.

All that did was cause Van Helsing to renew his laughter just as he was starting to calm down. This time it was worse than it was before. He kept gasping out, "I knew I was right, I knew it."

McGonagall turned to Harry and Ginny. "What is he going on about?" she asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

They exchanged another glance before Harry answered, "He seems to believe that it is more difficult to get information out of us than it is Dumbledore, and that anything that you can get out of us makes less sense and is even more riddled. We decided that he must be crazy to believe that, though many people seem to agree with him for some strange reason," he shrugged. "And this," he waved at the still laughing Van Helsing, "Just proves that we were are right, he always finds it ridiculously funny whenever we say that he is crazy. He often ends up laughing like this when we meet."

Van Helsing was finally able to calm himself down. "Well it's true, every time I talk to you I end up leaving more confused than the last time, especially if I have something to ask you," he said to Harry. He turned to McGonagall and said, "Every time that I mention it they claim that I'm crazy, so there is no need to be concerned about it. I'm used to it, they mean nothing by it."

"Well it's true," said Ginny, using Van Helsing's words against him.

"Can we get back to the topic at hand?" asked Dumbledore, calmly. Though, you could see from his eyes that he found this situation highly amusing. "Which I believe is the questions of where you were? Why you were gone? And why you decided to come back now of all times?"

"Where have we been? Hmmm, let me think," said Harry, he tapped his chin thoughtfully. He exchanged a glance with Ginny, and smirked. "I should think it was obvious, it was all over the papers a while back."

At everyone's confused looks Ginny elaborated on the subject for them, "We were dead. Didn't you read the paper?"

Dumbledore sighed. "We are not going to get a more definitive answer, are we?"

"No," stated Harry. He smiled wistfully. "It's not that we don't want to tell you, it's that as the saying goes, we don't want to leave all our eggs in one basket. We will tell you, but you of all people must understand the need to withhold some information on certain things. When the time is right we will tell you. That time is just not today.

"As for your second question it will have to wait. It ties too closely with the first one to be properly answered."

"But for your third question," said Ginny, taking over from Harry. "I should think that the answer would be obvious."

"Is it these attacks that are going on?" asked Hermione, voicing the question that had been playing at the back of her mind since Harry and Ginny first appeared that night.

Ginny sighed sadly. "I'm afraid that it is, I wish our return was on a happier note, but some things just cannot be."

"Do you know who is behind all the attacks?" questioned McGonagall.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other. They remained like that for several minutes before turning towards Dumbledore. "Headmaster, we believe that you have your suspicions of who is behind them. Would you be so kind as to share them with us?" asked Harry.

"I believe that it is Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Not many may realize this, but it is exactly the same thing that happened last time," answered Dumbledore, quietly.

McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout all gasped at the name. Snape stepped back in shock. Ron and Hermione quickly exchanged a glance and then a nod -they had started to use the name after Harry's and Ginny's disappearance- as if what he said had confirmed their suspicions. Van Helsing was watching the two students curiously, and paid no heed to the name. Harry and Ginny exchanged another glance.

"Yes, that is what we believe as well. We have found certain evidence that points to him," said Harry, solemnly, then he smirked. "But we do not know of anyone with the name of Voldemort-"

"Tom sure is a menace, though," finished Ginny, she was also smirking.

Harry sighed, the smirk leaving his and Ginny's faces to be replaced with a look of determination. "On a more somber note, back to the reason for our return. You know the prophesy Headmaster, you know what I must do. Part of the reason that we left was to receive training, so that I can fulfill it. If it wasn't necessary that I received training we wouldn't have left in the first place. Ginny only came along to help me train. That is part of your answer to question two, but not all of it. The rest is what must wait until a later date."

"But that is off topic. We came back not only to fulfill the prophesy, but to help prepare for war. For it is war that is going on, it's just that no one knew it. And that is exactly what Tom wants," Ginny took over. "He is trying to spread fear by removing only those that he can get away with without drawing too much attention to himself. He is using it as a cloak as he slowly builds up his army -while no one knows it is there- and getting ready to truly start his war. As long as no one knows that he is back, they won't think that they need to build up any defenses to him.

"That is also why Fudge has not been targeted, he is such a fool that he would cover up anything may indicate Tom's return. Fudge does not want anything to affect his term in office, and if Tom is back, he, being the Minister of Magic will automatically get blamed and more likely than not be thrown out of office. He is already standing on thin ice, with the disappearances of Harry and myself. The people blamed him for removing you from Hogwarts, making them upset with him, so ultimately the blame for our disappearance was placed at his feet. These other disappearances have not helped his standing at all, so he is covering up anything else that will hurt him. It is a very common occurrence for those in power to be blamed for anything that may or may not go wrong, regardless of how much control they have over it, and this is exactly what has happened with Fudge.

"But Fudge is not important right now, we will need him exactly where he is for the time being. Tom may be using him, but we will be able to use him as well. What we need to be concerned about is Tom. Our spies were unable to find out the size of his army, but what we do know is not a pretty sight.

"Tell me Headmaster, if Tom was to attack Hogwarts, or anywhere else for that matter, right this instant would you be ready for him? Do you have the sort of defenses that will keep an army from storming the castle?"

Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment, then sighed. "I believe that if he were to attack now we would be facing a losing battle before it even began. Sadly we have no such defense at this time."

"Exactly," said Harry. "And that is what we are here to fix. If Tom was to find out that you knew he was back he would attack strong and hard leaving you no time and no warning to be able to defend yourself. He will eventually attack anyway, but he is waiting until he either has no choice but to attack, or has an army that it will be hopeless to defend against.

"What we need to do is build our own army as fast as we can, making it as large as possible. That is why we need Fudge in office, for as long he is covering things up we can use it. He wouldn't dare go against you right now, it would lose him his power, so if he were to find out about it he would cover it up. But it would still be better if he were not to find out about your involvement. If he finds, out he must believe that I am the one behind it all, for after he finds out about my return he will be less willing to go against me than you, for without a doubt that will get him removed from office.

"I'm positive that Tom's first target will be Hogwarts. I believe that when he finds out I have returned he will want to take the school even more. We know that he does not know where we were, but he does know that I'm still alive, so there is no point in keeping our return secret.

"We can talk later about most of what needs to be done. This weekend would be a good time, but the one thing that we need worry about immediately for defense is is getting the students prepared for war. They will be need to be able to fight to defend themselves-"

He was interrupted by McGonagall. "This is preposterous, students should not go to war. War is not a place for children."

"Oh but they do Professor," said Harry, his voice and eyes turning stone cold as he spoke. Though he was looking at McGonagall, his eyes were unfocused and distant, as though what he was seeing was not in the room. Ginny turned around in his embrace to hug him tightly. "If they do not fight they will die. Tom is most likely going to attack the school before this year is over, next year at the most. His army is already massive, and anyone who gets caught between it and his goal is going to die before they have a chance to blink if they cannot fight. Children will be the first, because their deaths will cause the most panic and fear. He is not afraid of using children to get what he wants, I assure you there are current students here who bear his mark.

"He is not going to give them a choice, if they don't fight they will die. That is the simple fact of the matter. Closing the school won't help anything, it will tell him that we know he is back and he will do something just as drastic as attacking the school, and we will be helpless to stop him. It will get rid of all the tactical advantages that we have, leaving us with no idea when or where he will attack. This school was built as a fortress; it is no longer a fortress, but if we plan right it can be one again.

"Not all of the students should fight -the ones in third year and below, not if we can help it;- but all of them need to know how to fight; if they aren't directly fighting they will need to be doing something else: helping the healers, bringing supplies, or something along those lines. Yes, we will need an evacuation plan; we won't force anyone to fight, but they all need to be prepared.

"Not every person has the luxury of going through childhood. I lost that luxury long before I even knew about the wizarding world and Hogwarts, so do not even try and tell me that I shouldn't fight, I have no choice. There is a prophecy that saw to that, it was made before I was born." His eyes blazed, and about halfway through his speech, his back straightened, he removed his chin from Ginny's shoulder and stood in a very rigid and stiff position. Though, he did keep his arms around Ginny.

Ginny spoke softly and quietly, but her voice was still heard throughout the room. "And sometimes people lose their childhood before it is time to." It was made apparent that she was referring to herself with those words. "We are no longer children. Ron and Hermione are no longer children. Anyone who has faced death is no longer a child. Many who have lost loved ones due to war are no longer children. Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom are among those others who are no longer children. War steals childhoods, that is the simple fact of the matter. Those that lose their childhoods should be able to fight to stop others from losing theirs as well. It is something that they need to do. If you keep them from doing it, they could quite possibly go crazy.

"We are not taking away the students' childhoods. Learning to fight and defend yourself and others does not take your childhood. As Harry said, there will be no forcing the students to fight, but they will help in the preparation for the war. They can help by setting up the defenses. It is very important that we train them to defend themselves.

"Before any of this can happen, several other things need to happen. First, we will need to locate anyone who is either a Death Eater or has some connection to Tom. Second, we need to stop them from leaking out what we are up to. There are several ways to deal with that, but we will get to that at the meeting this weekend. Third, we will need to come up with a training plan. Fourth, we will need to get more people in here to help with the training, and to help keep an eye on the students and castle. They must be completely trustworthy and willing to swear an oath. And finally we need to find out which students actually going to help fight, for they will need extra training and also must make an oath."

She held up her hand to stop protests about the oath. "You may believe that an oath is too much. In war NOTHING is to much to stop the enemy from destroying our lives, killing our loved ones, and ruining everything we believe in. If they will stop at nothing, then so must we. Tom cares nothing for age. If he wants he will use children as young as eleven, perhaps younger, if he thinks it will help him. He will kill no matter what age. Very few can handle what he does to those whom he doesn't kill immediately, and those only because they have enough determination and will power to fight to stay alive through all of his tortures and who knows what else he does to his prisoners. Anyone who does succeed in surviving and escaping, which is no mean task in itself, does not remain unaffected; they are scarred for life and there is nothing that can be done about it. That is why we must train the students to fight. Tom only gives you three choices, and each choice depends on who you are; join him, suffer under him, or die. All of those choices are worse than having the students fight," she sighed and shook her head sadly. She turned around in Harry's arms again, and looked everyone in the room directly in the eye. They could all see the determination burning strongly there. "We do not like it anymore than you. It pains us to have to make these decisions, but they must be made or the war would already be lost. We wish that it did not have to be this way, but sadly that is the way it is. But this is not what we are here to talk about tonight, we can take care of all of this at the meeting this weekend."

McGonagall stepped back in shock. What Harry and Ginny had said had shocked her to the core, not just from what they were saying but the truth behind their words that she had never even thought of before. _They have changed so much over the years. What have they been through to make them say things like this? The students I knew wouldn't have talked like this; but I can see that they are still in there, just older and more mature, with deep understanding of the unpleasantness of life, that no one should have, especially at this age._ She nodded stiffly. "Yes, we will talk about this later," she said, trying to recompose herself to her normal countenance.

The other teachers were also startled by what the two had said. They all quickly agreed that this is a topic that they will most definitely return to at the next meeting. Silence reigned in the room for several minutes, with barely the sound of people breathing, as everyone digested what had been said. Ron and Hermione were fidgeting nervously, unsure of what to do. Ginny had turned around in Harry's arms again, and they appeared to be having a staring competition. The teachers -except for Van Helsing, who appeared unsurprised at what was said- were the main ones thinking back on the lecture.

Harry was the first to break the silence. "It is getting late and we really must return to the matter at hand."

Ginny pulled away from Harry, but kept a hold of his hand. "Headmaster, we need to discuss our arrangements for this school year as students. We no longer need the education, we are quite capable of passing our N.E.W.T.s right now, but it will cause the least suspicion to be placed on us; suspicion, I might add, that would only hinder what we are trying to do."

"Here are our O.W.L. scores. We took them at the place that we were staying before coming here. That is your copy for the school, all that is needed to be done with now is to file a copy at the Ministry. Here is the copy for that," said Harry, taking over from Ginny. As he spoke he handed Dumbledore a couple of slips of parchment. "We are both going to be in sixth year, and we have already chosen all of our classes. They are all on this sheet," he handed Dumbledore another parchment.

Dumbledore examined the parchments carefully for several minutes. Then he looked at Harry and stared into Harry's eyes for another minute or two, as if examining his intentions. Seeming to find nothing the matter he nodded. "Everything seems to in order. We should be able to have your schedule for you, at breakfast, tomorrow, when we hand out everyone else's."

Snape was silently fuming, as he had been in the corner since Harry and Ginny had removed their hoods. When they brushed him off it just made him even more furious, _how dare they treat him like that. They have no respect for proper authority. He hasn't changed a bit, he is still just as arrogant, conceited, and spoiled as ever, if not worse. Now he has a little Weaslette who follows his every whim, making him much worse than he was without her. Surely Albus cannot let 'them' back in this school. Ah, but he has always been to lenient and forgiving. And what is this talk about the Dark Lord being back, if he was I would be among the first to know, there are no Death Eaters in this school, especially student Death Eaters. This just proves what I have been saying all along. Albus cannot really be listening to them._

"Headmaster," Snape sneered, in his snide voice. "Surely you do not believe them, you are not going to let them return here. They-"

Ginny put her wand away after casting a silencing spell an Snape. She had drawn her wand so fast that no one had even noticed it until she was putting it away and had already cast the spell. "Professor," she sneered, with just as much contempt as Snape always used towards them. "If you cannot speak of matters you know nothing about with any decency or respect, you should speak constructively, or at least with some civility; if you can't even do that then you shouldn't speak at all. You have no idea what you are actually referring to, and were about to tread in very dangerous waters. If you do not want to lose it, I suggest holding your tongue. If you finish what you were going to say I will personally remove it." Her eyes showed her fury, and a glance into them would have most anyone wanting to find some dark corner to huddle up in; any man who was not able to control himself as much as Snape, or had not been through what he had would have wet themselves and ran straight for the closest corner he could find; but Snape was not that man, as it was he was terrified out of his wits, he just refused to show it, so he nodded stiffly, unsure of what else to do.

Ginny continued to glare at Snape for several more minutes, until Harry placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look at him. "Darling, you need to calm down, if you continue your glare, this meeting will never end, and we have had a very long and trying day. I do not want to stay up all night, trying to finish this conversation."

This caused them to have another staring contest; or so it appeared, they just stared into each other's eyes unblinkingly for several minutes. Finally Ginny nodded. "Alright, I'll let it go for the moment."

Snape let out breath that he didn't know he was holding. _I'm capable of dealing with a dark lord, but a mere girl can frighten me, pathetic._

Hearing Snape let out his breath, Ginny turned and glared at him again. "You shouldn't relax I'm not finished with you yet. Know this, if you step out of line like that again I will have retribution. I'm not going to put up with your petty attitude anymore. You have been warned, and this is your one and only warning. Understood?"

Snape stepped backwards in shock and fright. _This is no mere girl, she is more terrifying than the Dark Lord. _He nodded again, and Ginny took out her wand and removed the spell. Snape forced himself to refrain from saying what his impulses were telling him to.

Ginny stopped glaring and turned towards Dumbledore. "Back to our arrangements, we need our own room."

A shocked silence fell on the room. It had been many years, since anyone other than the head boy and girl had their own room, and even longer since anyone has asked for one. Why could Harry and Ginny possibly need their own room, and from the sounds of it they wanted a room together, was what was running through most everyone's minds at that declaration. Snape had to bite his tongue to stop himself from making a comment, Ron was cycling through several shades of red, unable to make up his mind about whether he should be furious, embarrassed or pleased at the thought of his sister and best friend sharing a room. Hermione was too shocked to do anything. McGonagall, Sprout, and Flitwick were all at once trying to list all of the reasons why it was impossible for them to have their own room, and especially share one. Van Helsing was laughing at everyone's reactions. Dumbledore sat there silently watching Harry and Ginny; who in turn were staring at him unblinkingly and unmoving, not saying a word, and waiting for his verdict.

Dumbledore raised his hand, and silence ensued. His eyes never moving from Harry and Ginny. "You know that that is a very serious thing to ask for, and also that I cannot grant it without good reason. Also no student but the head boy and girl has had a private room in over a hundred years, and that was only because of the child's loss of his family, and his need to be away from his peers at night so that he could deal with everything."

Harry nodded. "Yes, we already did know that. We wouldn't be asking if we did not have a sufficient reason."

"Albus, surely you are not considering this?" questioned McGonagall.

"I am, as long as they say have sufficient reason for it," replied Dumbledore. "Now Harry, Ginny, tell me why you believe that you should receive a private room?"

It was Ginny who spoke in reply. "There are several reasons. First, we will need somewhere we can converse without anyone being able to hear us or walk in on us. Much of what we may talk about is very delicate in nature, and we can't afford to let the wrong people get a hold of it unless we want them to. Second, we need to have time away, and someplace to get away from all of the students. From what we have seen and heard so far, they are going to be much worse in idolizing Harry this year than they were in the past. It also appears that I will be included in their idolizing this time, and it is likely to get much worse for the both of us as the year goes on and secrets are revealed. We need to be able to get away from all of that; it will be enough to drive anyone bonkers. There are several small personal reasons, but they they are unimportant and you do not need to know them. All that we need is a bedroom and sitting room. Close to the Gryffindor Common Room would be good, because we do plan to spend lots of time with our house."

"Yes, those reasons are very sound, but it does not address the fact that you are asking for a private, single bedroom room, together. I'm afraid that I cannot give you what ask for without you giving me reason why you should share a room," said Dumbledore.

Ginny blushed and glanced at Harry, who sighed but nodded. "We were hoping to avoid this, this early on. I guess it was inevitable, though." She raised her left hand for all to see. "We have been married for the past two years." Sitting there twinkling happily on her left ring finger were two simple, but elegant gold rings.

**-Chapter End-**


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I would love to own it but I'm not that lucky. Maybe someday..._

_A/N: I would like to thank Stephanie O for agreeing to beta my story, and I believe she is doing a wonderful job._

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 3<strong>_

Chaos ensued. Ron had decided to imitate a fish until the full force of what she said had hit, at which point he promptly passed out. Sprout and Flitwick were alternating between offering congratulations and asking how it happened. They seemed to work in perfect coordination with each other, one would ask while the other was congratulating then they would switch, and they just kept repeating the cycle. McGonagall was was also attempting to imitate a fish; but she was doing a much better job at taking the news than Ron did, she, at least, didn't pass out. Snape was sending death glares at anyone and everyone, while silently cursing Harry, James, Ginny, redheads in general, nosy, bratty annoying good for nothing students, irresponsible children for getting themselves into situations that far beyond their understanding and anyone else he could possibly think of; especially Ginny, for having to do it silently for fear of losing his tongue. Dumbledore was sitting their calmly, eyes winkling away. The portraits were all flitting from frame to frame exchanging gossip amongst, several times they shouted out questions to Harry and Ginny; many rushed out of sight to talk to other portraits throughout the school (it would be all over the school by morning, leaving only the students and other staff members without knowledge of it – the portraits, house elves, and ghosts were unable to tell any humans of things said in confidentiality in the Headmaster's office. Fawkes was singing a song of joy. Van Helsing was laughing his head off, again, at everyones' reactions. Hermione was thinking of all of the ways that it could even be possible, while trying to revive Ron Harry and Ginny were staring at each other again, with slight smiles on their faces, ignoring all of the chaos around them.

"M-m-m-married?" Ron stuttered, when Hermione was finally able to revive him. He stared at them in disbelief.

"Yes, Ron, we are married and have been for two years," said Ginny, shaking her head. _Somethings just never change._

"Why?" asked Ron, completely recovered from the shock, but still disbelieving. "I mean your fifteen and he is sixteen, two years ago you would have been thirteen, and he fourteen, why would you get married so young?"

Harry and Ginny exchanged another glance before she spoke again. "Where we were, and with what we had to deal with, it was actually expected of us to be married. Our marriage removed many complications that we had, one of which is that if we didn't marry Harry would have been forced to marry someone else. There it is not unheard of for thirteen and fourteen year olds to be married, it is actually quite common and expected of many of them, especially ones that have very important positions. That is why Harry had to marry, when we were taken he ended up in very important position, that required him to be married. But all of that is to long and complex to go into tonight, and much of it must wait until we are able to tell you the full story."

Ron nodded, not fully understanding what she meant about having to be married, but he did understand that some of it would have to wait. Hermione got a thoughtful look on her face. The heads of house all exchanged glances wondering where the two could have possibly been that would require something like that.

Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "Now Headmaster, about the rooms. We have had a very long trip and many other things that we needed to do today, and we would like to retire for the night."

Dumbledore nodded, "Your reasons are sound. I cannot find a fault with them, your marriage does qualify you to share a room." He snapped his fingers, and a house elf appeared. He spoke to it quickly for a moment before it popped away. "Your rooms will be near Gryffindor Tower, they will be an en suite, basically the same thing that we give all our teachers. The house elves are currently fixing them up for you, and one will show you to it as soon as they are finished."

Harry nodded, "Thank you."

"One more thing before you two head off for bed," continued Dumbledore. Harry nodded for him to continue. "I will be announcing your return to the school at breakfast tomorrow morning, is that acceptable?"

"Yes that's fine," agreed Harry. "It is better that we announce our return sooner rather than later."

"Will either of you be needing any school supplies?"

"No, that is one of the things that we were taking care of earlier today before our arrival here. So we have everything we need," answered Ginny, as she finished speaking a house elf popped into the room.

"The rooms are ready," it squeaked.

"Thank you, Dandy," said Dumbledore. "Now will you show Mr. And Mrs. Potter the way to their rooms?"

"Dandy, will Master and Mistress Potter to theirs rooms sir," said Dandy.

"Thank you, Dandy," said Ginny. She turned back to face everyone on the room. "Good night, we will see all of you tomorrow." Harry nodded as well, and both of them swept out of the room after the little elf.

Van Helsing turned and surveyed everyone left in the room, seeming to find what he was looking for he spoke, "Do not push them, it will only push them away. They are still the same people you knew from before, but they have change in many ways. They will tell you everything, just have patience." With that warning and advice he swept out of the room as well.

"That will be all for tonight. We still have much to discuss, but it must wait until another time," said Dumbledore, to everyone remaining in the room. "I suggest we all take Gabriel's advice. Now off to bed all of you." Everyone filed out of the office. Dumbledore turned to Fawkes and sighed heavily, looking his age for once. "What happened all those years ago Fawkes? What would cause two children's lives to change so much?" He turned back to his desk and pulled out what he needed to write to Ginny's parents to inform them of their daughters return.

H&G-H&G-H&G-H&G-H&G-H&G-H&G

Hermione and Ron walked hand in hand back to Gryffindor Tower.

"They have changed," stated Ron.

"Well what did you expect? They have been gone for four years, doing all sorts of life altering things," replied Hermione.

"I know, I know," he said, waving his free hand around absentmindedly. "I just wasn't expecting some of the ways that they have changed. Marriage was did not make it anywhere close to the list. I knew that with them being alive and wherever they were together that more likely than not they would be dating when they came back. I also believed that they would have a much better understanding of each other than anyone else could possibly, making it more likely than not that they would eventually marry. But them being married when they returned. That never even flitted through my mind."

"I agree," said Hermione. "Marriage really was something unexpected. It is not exactly shocking, but it is a very surprising development."

"I have to say, they are perfect for each other. The way they act around each other, it is like they where made for each other. I've never seen anything like it. Mum and Dad never acted like they do. It's like they know what the other is thinking," said Ron, in awe.

"I know, it is one of the strangest and most amazing things that I have ever seen. I'd hate to find out what would happen to them if they were forced apart, or one them died. I don't think that they would survive it," she shuddered. "If not dead, then insane and with what they would do to themselves I do not want to know."

Ron shivered at the thought as well. "Then we are not going to let that happen."

Hermione nodded in agreement, before giving the password to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Ron kissed her good night before they headed off to their separate rooms. When he entered his room he looked at the bed that had remained empty for the last four years, and said, "Welcome home Harry."

At the same time Hermione paused at the door to the fifth years girls dormitories. She she placed her hand on the door and whispered, "Welcome home Ginny."

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When Hermione awoke the next morning the first thing that flitted through her head was, 'Last night's events didn't really happen. It must have been a dream. They can't be back, can they?' She hurried through her morning routine, she had to see for herself. It was too unbelievable to be true, but she had to see it for herself. She had to prove that it either happened or it didn't, she couldn't stand the suspense. She headed into the common room to wait for Ron, hoping that he wouldn't take to long.

Ron came down the steps from the boys dormitories two minutes later. "I had a dream about Harry and Ginny last night, they had finally returned at the feast yesterday," they both said at the same time. "That was the same as my dream," they both said together again.

They stared at each other for a minute, before the implications of what they just said sunk in. "They're back," they spoke in unison again. Before rushing out of the common room and to the Great Hall.

They left everyone in the common room completely confused about what was they were talking about, and curious as to what was going on. They all hurried up to their respective rooms to wake their friends so they could get to the Great Hall and find out what their favorite prefects were on about.

H&G-H&G-H&G-H&G-H&G-H&G-H&G

Harry and Ginny stood in the back of the Great Hall, Harry was leaning against the wall and Ginny was leaning against him with his arms wrapped around her waist. They wore the cloaks with the hoods up again, and didn't move or speak. They remained hidden in the shadows, going mostly unnoticed as the students took their seats. They watched students with sadness and longing, wishing that they could have been among their ranks like normal children, and that what they had to do was unnecessary.

Even though they remained hidden many students still noticed them and quickly passed it on to their friends. It spread like wildfire, causing the sound level to drop again as people returned to whispering like the did the night before, and several glances to be sent their way. They ignored it all as they did the night before.

Ron and Hermione entered the Great Hall holding hands. They looked around, spotting Harry and Ginny they beamed in delight. They sent the cloaked couple a quick nod before taking their seats at the Gryffindor table.

Harry and Ginny nodded back.

The Great Hall quickly filled up over the next several minutes. Dumbledore was the last to enter, reach his seat he remained standing; seeing this the students quickly quieted. "Thank you," he said. "Now I'm sure you all curious as to who our visitors are. They are not visitors, they are two students who left rather abruptly several years ago and are now returning to our school," as he spoke Harry and Ginny made their way to stand before the head table; causing the the students to look at them curiously. "Many of you may know them personally, if not than all of you have heard of them," at those words realization lit up on the some of the students' faces, everyone's eyes were now glued to Harry and Ginny. "I would like you all to welcome back with me," he paused and looked at all of the house tables before nodding to Harry and Ginny, "Harry James Potter and Ginevra Molly Weasley," As spoke their names they removed their hoods, turning to face the hall.

The silence was deafening, there wasn't even the sound of breathing. Even though some of the students realized who he was talking about, they didn't quite believe it until they saw it with their own eyes. They may have suspected it, but that didn't stop them from being floored when it they were proven right.

The silence lasted all of two minutes, before someone gasped. The effect was immediate. Everyone started to ask questions, or say welcome back, or something else along those lines; each person shouting to be heard over everyone else.

"Silence," shouted Dumbledore, and instantly there was silence. It was like someone had muted the whole hall. It was so quiet that if a pin dropped it would echo.

Before Dumbledore could continue, a strangely dressed woman entered the Great Hall. She wore many shawls and beads, and a pair of glasses that magnified her eyes to the size of golf balls. The smell of sherry was coming from her so strongly that it could smelled all the way up at the staff table. "My inner eye told me-" she stopped dead in her tracks staring at Harry and Ginny. She opened her mouth again and screamed, before turning and running from the hall as though her life depended on it.

Silence reigned again, everyone staring after the departed Professor Sibyll Trelawney, only to be broken by the sound of a girl rising from the Ravenclaw table. She appeared to be just as odd as Professor Trelawney. She was wearing a butterbear cap necklace and a pair of radish earrings. Her eyes had a distant look, giving her the appearance that she was not all there. Her hair was long and dirty blond in color. When she reached Harry and Ginny, she curtsied all the way to the floor, saying, "The prince and princess have finally returned to the land of us mere mortals. She skipped back to her seat as if what she just did was an everyday occurrence.

Mocking laughter broke across the hall. It came from the Slytherin table; a platinum blond ferret faced boy, who goes by the name of Draco Malfoy, sitting at the Slytherin table to be more precise. It quickly cut off as blur came zooming into the Great Hall, it also stopped before Harry and Ginny.

Peeves whipped off his hat, and bowed low before saying, "Your Majesties," and then zooming right back out of the hall.

There was shocked silence throughout the hall. Even Dumbledore didn't know what or say or do after that. Harry and Ginny seemed to be having a wordless conversation with each other. Van Helsing was watching everything with a smirk, when Harry and Ginny glanced at him questioningly, he raised an eyebrow and winked.

Then someone dropped the glass that they were holding frozen in shock, spilling their pumpkin juice all over them. The clanging from the glass and that person's cursing at their stupidity broke the hall from its trance like state.

"Well, now that is over we can get on with breakfast," he looked questioningly at Harry and Ginny for a moment. They shrugged, shook their heads, and sent him an apologetic look. He returned to his seat, and they went and took seats at the Gryffindor table beside Ron and Hermione.

"What was that all about," asked Ron, as they sat.

"It has to deal with some of the things that we can't tell you yet. Sorry," Ginny said, apologetically. She exchanged another glance with Harry.

Harry took over, "It was surprising to us as well. We didn't expect that, apparently some people here know more than we thought." He sent a meaningful look to Ginny, who nodded in reply. They would need to talk to Luna and Peeves, and perhaps Trelawney as well, if they could get alone with her without her screaming.

Ron and Hermione stared at their newly returned friend and sister, neither knowing what to say. The four of them remained silent like that until McGonagall came by with the schedules.

"What classes are you two taking this year?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence.

"We are both taking Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Care of Magical Creatures," Hermione said, all in one breath, before Ron even had time to open his mouth. Not that he was going to as he was currently stuffing it full of scrambled egg. "I'm also taking Ancient Runes. So what are you and Harry taking?"

"We are taking the same classes you and Ron," replied Ginny.

Harry, who was examining his own schedule all this time, groaned, "Potions first thing tomorrow morning. That's just what I need to wake up to."

Ginny shook her head, "Harry, you wouldn't be happy with potions any time of the day, so what does tomorrow morning have to do with it?"

Harry sent her a wry smile, "Your right. And it's the fact that I have to take it at all." He got up and reached a hand down to pull her up as well, "Come on let's get to Charms, I don't want to be late for class on my first day back."

The for of them all headed out of the hall together. Ron grumbling the whole time about how people worry too much about their classes to give a bloke time to eat.

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The hallway was dark and empty. Coming from behind the lone door at the end of it was loud clashing and banging sounds, even occasionally explosive sounds. After a few minutes the sound stopped, and shortly after that the door opened and out came two men. They were not normal men; the wore clothes of a very fine silk, their skin almost seemed to glow, their ears were oddly pointed, and they were several inches taller than your average man. The one on the right had silvery blue hair and stormy, dark blue eyes. The other one had very rich, dark brown hair color and forest green eyes.

"I have heard that the prince and his wife have returned home," said the man with silvery blue hair.

"Yes, they have. Its about time, they have been gone for far too long," replied the other. "They left rather abruptly though, they barely said goodbye, to anyone before leaving. The only ones they made sure to say goodbye to were the King and Queen, they seemed rather hurried. They only told me goodbye because I was there. Why they left in such a rush I do not know."

"It's good, they returned. I know that she has greatly missed her family, and hearing news about them just wasn't enough," said the first, one nodding in agreement. "When are we expecting to hear from them?"

"Whenever they find time and are fully comfortable with being home, so it could be anytime from today to next week," answered the second man, he shook his head, and smiled wryly. "Though, knowing them they will wait until they can no longer feasibly put off writing. Gabriel has sent a letter, it seems that their return has been well accepted. Though, she has not spoken with her family yet."

The blue haired one shook his head as well, "I do not believe that she has anything to worry about with them, and I told her as such, but she still was greatly concerned about their reactions when last I saw her."

The one with brown hair nodded, "Yes, she kept bringing it up as they were packing to leave. He kept telling her it would be fine and not to worry about it, and she would nod and agree only to bring it back two minutes later."

"That's her alright," he shook his head sadly. "It was a very bad time to take her."

"Yes, but without her we would be doomed," said a girl as she came into the hallway. She was also taller than usual, with pointy ears, and her skin also seemed to glow. Her hair was a golden red color, and her eyes were minty green.

"As bright as always, Edana," said the man with darker hair, glaring her. "What do you want?"

"Not to see you Keal," Edana shot back. She turned to the other man there, "I was sent to tell you that the Queen would like to see you, Caedmon."

Caedmon nodded. "Thank you, Edana," he said, before leaving through the doorway that she came through.

Edana glared at Keal, who was still glaring at her. "If I had known that you were with him I would have sent someone else," she said shortly, before turning and leaving the way she had come.

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"Great just great," muttered Harry as they entered the Great Hall for lunch, after their classes. Ginny groaned in agreement. There was a large group of students clustered around the Gryffindor table, all of them appeared to be waiting for the two of them; most of the group wasn't even in Gryffindor.

Hermione sent them a sympathetic look. Students have been following them all over the school and asking all sorts of questions, or welcoming them back, or pestering them in someway, or something else along those lines. The questions ranged from "Where have you been?" to "Will you come on the next Hogsmeade weekend with me?" Ginny was about ready to hex someone.

"Oy, all of you this isn't your table so move it," shouted Ron. "If you want to talk to Harry and Ginny you have to wait. Their my best mate and sister, and I haven't seen in years; give Hermione and me a chance to catch back with them, and give them a couple days to resettle themselves, and then you can talk with them, but not all at once, nor in long lines waiting to talk to them. Anyone who doesn't follow those guidelines will lose twenty-five house points each, and with each following occurrence five more points will be added."

The group of students dissipated, grumbling and shooting glares at Ron. Harry and Ginny shot Ron thankful looks.

"I didn't you had it in you, Ron," said Hermione, teasingly. "I was about to do that myself," she added more seriously.

"Hey!" exclaimed Ron, indignantly. "I can be reasonable."

"Sure you can," said Ginny.

Ron humphed and crossed his arms in a mock pout, causing Harry, Hermione, and Ginny to all burst out laughing. He quickly joined them.

After they had all sobered up, Hermione asked a question that had been bugging her all morning. "Do you have any idea what Professor Van Helsing's class is going to be like?"

"Not sure," said Harry, slowly after exchanging a glance with Ginny. "But if his teaching is anything like his personality then we will learn a lot about vampires, and most of his classes will be extremely unusual."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Why vampires?"

"You know everything Lockhart claimed to have done?" Ginny asked. Hermione and Ron both nodded. "Well that is what he does for a living, his main focus is vampires."

Hermione nodded in understanding.

McGonagall came up to them. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger," she said by way of greeting.

"Professor," they all replied.

Several students over heard what she called Ginny, and quickly passed it along to their friends, going unnoticed by McGonagall.

She turned to Harry and Ginny, "The Headmaster would like to see the two of you in his office before dinner this evening," she told them.

"We will be there," replied Harry, and Ginny nodded.

"Good," she said before leaving.

"What was that about?" asked Ron.

"Don't know, but it probably has something to do with our return," answered Ginny, sharing a look with Harry. She glanced around the hall, noting all the extra students who where pointing and staring at them, while talking with their neighbors. "But I'm more concerned about the fact that the whole school has just discovered we are married."

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"Hello class," said Van Helsing, as he entered his room just as the bell rang. "Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am Professor Van Helsing, as I'm sure you already know. I have looked over what you have learned over the previous years and found that not many of your teachers actually knew how to teach, most of what you have learned is completely useless. The only ones that had taught anything that would actually help you out there in the real world was Professor Lupin and Professor Moody.

"What you are going to be learning under me is going to be different than anything that has been taught here in many years, since long before Dumbledore was even born. Most of what you learn will be offensive and defensive spells, but we will also spend quite a bit of time on dangerous creatures, not necessarily dark, and how you should handle them. These creatures are not the kind that you will ever study in Care of Magical Creatures. Among them will be vampires," he sent Harry and Ginny a quick smirk, that went unnoticed by the rest of the class, at that; causing Harry and Ginny to roll their eyes. "I'm sure that you will find much of what I'm going to teach you to be very strange. For it is some of it has not been widely used in many years, but I'm sure once you understand it you will agree that it that it will be most helpful.

"I have spent many years studying this kind of magic. I wouldn't teach you anything that I wouldn't be willing to use myself."

At those words Harry muttered under his breath, "Which isn't much."

Van Helsing shot Harry a warning look, before continuing. "I will be starting a club for anyone interested in furthering their education in any subjects that I will be teaching. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were kind enough to volunteer to help me out in this endeavor." At those words both Harry and Ginny glared at him, and caused the rest of the class to look at them. He ignored the glares and continued on. "Are there any questions?"

Predictably Hermione's hand shot into the air, along with most of the classes. She was practically bouncing in her seat , she had to bite her tongue to keep her firing off all of her questions.

"Ms. Granger?"

"What are these unused things that you are talking about teaching us?" she asked, excitedly. The thought of learning things that hasn't been used in hundreds of years making her ready to jump in joy.

"Very good question, Ms. Granger, five points to Gryffindor," said Van Helsing, as he thought about his answer. "I plan on making that a surprise, so I'm afraid that you will have to wait, but I will tell you I believe that you will find it most intriguing. Next question, Ms. Bones?"

Hermione bit her tongue again trying to stop herself from asking her next question.

"Why do you think we will need to learn things that have not been used by many people in years? Isn't there a good reason why it hasn't been used?" asked Susan Bones, a Hufflepuff sixth year.

Van Helsing looked thoughtful for a few moments before he spoke, "Yes there are many things that are no longer used for good reasons, but most of what I'm going to teach is things that have been mostly forgotten for various reasons. I assure you that if it had not been forgotten than more likely then not it would still be used.

"As for the answer to your first question. This is a N.E.W.T. Defense Against the Dark Arts class, everyone taking it is either planning for a career that requires extra defense or just wants to know how to defend themselves better. These things are for more advanced than you learned before, they will help you to achieve those goals beyond what many have been able to do before without doing as much studying and research into the subject as I have.

" I believe that if you have decided to take this class then you should be prepared to face any situation that may come your way, including if we find ourselves in another war like the last one. These disappearances had increased my belief in the need to train you beyond what people have been learning for many years. This way if you find yourself in a situation where someone is going to attack, kidnap, or harm in anyway. Aurors are all well and good, but they can't help someone who they don't know is being attacked. If you are that person you could be in serious trouble. I plan making you able to escape from and stop you perpetrators.

"That was an excellent question Ms. Bones, five points to Hufflepuff. Does anyone else have a question for me?"

Practically everyone raised their hand, and the questions continued for the rest of the class period, with the only ones not asking anything was Harry and Ginny. Hermione had asked the most at somewhere over ten questions, Blaise Zabini was the only person to ask who asked questions to only ask one question, everyone else ranged somewhere between the two. For every question Van Helsing awarded five points to whomever's house it was. When the bell rang most of the class wasn't even finished asking questions.

"Since you are all so curious about the class, I am assigning you to write down all of your questions and turn them into me before the next class," when the class groaned at this announcement Van Helsing raised his hand to silence them. "This is not a grade, and you do not have to do this if you do not want to; but know this, I won't answer your questions unless you turn in the assignment." He looked around the class, seeing everyone nod he said, "Class dismissed."

Harry and Ginny collected all of their things, indicating for Ron and Hermione to go on without them. After everyone else had left, they headed up to the front of the classroom. Van Helsing who was previously ignoring them looked up, no longer having the choice to ignore them.

Harry and Ginny resumed their glares at him. "You do know that we have never volunteered to help you with any club, or anything else as a matter of fact," said Harry.

"Yes, well by dinner time the whole school will think that you have so your stuck," said Van Helsing, smirking.

"Your better let us help in the planning of this club," said Ginny, still glaring at him.

"I was planning to. I was also going to actually ask you for help, but then you had to go and be smart alacks."

"Now that's not fair, your the one who couldn't be bothered to tell us that you were going to be teaching here this year, or that we were supposed to return with you. We only found out the day of our return and had to rush through everything to get here in time for dinner. We didn't even get the chance to say farewell to everyone," said Harry indignantly.

"Okay, okay," Van Helsing said, raising his hands in defeat. "I did forget to tell you. So will you help me with the club?"

Harry and Ginny exchanged a mock thoughtful glance, before Harry sighed dramatically and said, "I guess."

"Now we have a meeting with the Headmaster, if you would excuse us," said Ginny. Van Helsing waved them on, and they took their leave.

"What was that about?" asked Ron, as they met up with him and Hermione leaving the defense classroom.

"You know that club that Gabriel said that we volunteered to help with?" asked Ginny. Receiving a nod in reply she continued. "Well we didn't."

"So you are not going to help with it?" asked Hermione, looking disappointed.

"No, we will help with it," said Harry, reassuringly. "We just needed to make sure that he won't do anything like that again. Not that we had much choice in the matter, by dinner time the whole school is going to believe that we did volunteer."

"Not that we don't want to help with it," continued Ginny. "We just just couldn't let him get away with it."

At this point they arrived at the Gargoyle to the Headmaster's Office. Hermione gave the password, and they parted ways. Harry and Ginny continuing up the staircase. Dumbledore's voice saying "Enter" before the reached the door, they entered with out knocking.

"Mum," cried Ginny, rushing into her mother's open and waiting arms.

"Ginny," Molly Weasley said, as squeezed her daughter tightly as if her life depended on it. Arthur Weasley hugged both his wife and daughter.

They remained like that for several minutes before Mr. and Mrs. Weasley pulled back to examine their daughter. Ginny in return stared at her parents as trying to memorize them right down to the smallest detail. Her eyes widened as she stared at her mothers stomach. She gasped as her brain finished processing what she was seeing.

"Mum, your pregnant," she whispered, unable to move her eyes.

"Yes we found out just this Summer," replied Molly, with a small smile on her face. "You have grown so much," she said, the smile slipping from her face as she pulled her daughter back into a hug, tears pulling into her eyes. "I've missed you so much. I can't believe that I missed so much of your life. You look so much older."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and watched the reunited family with twinkling eyes. Harry watched them with a sad smile. Signs of regret were hidden in his eyes. Mr. Weasley watched his wife and daughter with a thoughtful look on his face.

The two Weasley woman remained like that for several minutes. In which time no one spoke.

Ginny was the one to brake the silence. "I'm sorry, Mum, I'm so sorry," she cried, tears streaming down her face.

"It's okay dear it's okay," said Mrs. Weasley, tears streaming down her face as well. "I know you must have had a good reason to go. I don't blame you. I'm sure that you will tell me everything when you are ready." As she spoke she pulled back from Ginny, wiping the tears from her face so she could look Ginny directly in her eyes. All the while keeping a hold Ginny's hand.

Ginny sighed, "I did, but that didn't make it any easier." She also wiped the tears from her face.

"It's not supposed to be, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, reassuringly.

"I know, I know," said Ginny. She took a few steps back from her parents, and bit her lip.

"What is it Ginny dear?" asked Mrs. Weasley, wondering at her daughter's change in demeanor.

Ginny glanced to Harry, who moved closer to her, and smiled and nodded encouragingly. "Mum, Dad, I have something very important that I need to tell you."

**-Chapter End-**


	5. Chapter 4

__Disclaimer: No I do not own it, but I do own copies of the books. That's close enough, right? Right? I also do not own anything else that you may recognize.__

__A/N: Thank you all for your patients. I am pleased to give you chapter 4.__

__Thank you Stephanie O for being such an awesome beta. You are doing a wonderful job.__

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

"What is it dear?" asked Mrs. Weasley, kindly. _She's back, my daughter. My daughter is back. Everyone believed her to be dead, after this there is nothing that could surprise me._

Ginny bit her lip, and disengaged herself completely from her mother's grasp. _How can I tell her? What will she think of me? Surely when she finds out she will want nothing to do with me. This has to one of the- no the most difficult thing that I ever had to do._

"Ginny dear, what is it?" asked Mrs. Weasley concernedly, worried as to why her daughter was so hesitant to respond. "I'm your mother and I love you, you can tell me anything. You have nothing to be afraid of. There is nothing that you could tell me that would change that."

Harry moved forward grasped Ginny's left hand in both of his. He squeezed it comfortingly. She sent him a grateful smile.

"Ginny dear, is it that the two of you are together?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"That's part of it, but it is much more complicated," Ginny bit her lip nervously, and looked at Harry. He gave her an encouraging smile, squeezing her hand again. She looked back her parents, "You see, Harry and I are-"

She was cut off by the fire turning green, and out stumbled several red head boys.

"Geoff me Fred," said Bill, shoving George off of him.

"He's not Fred," grumbled Fred from under Charlie, "I am." He pushed Charlie off of him.

"Yeah, I'm George," grumbled George, standing up.

"Hey," said Charlie as he was shoved to floor.

"All of you get get off of me," said Percy, his voice muffled from being stuck on the bottom.

"Boys, settle down. Your sister was about to tell us something," said Mr. Weasley.

"Sister? What sister?" asked George.

"We have a sister?" asked Fred.

"Ginny you gits," said Bill, whacking their heads.

"Whose Ginny?" asked George.

"I don't know a Ginny," said Fred.

"I'm Ginny, your sister," said Ginny, smiling fondly at the twins antics.

"Ginny!" they exclaimed before rushing and giving her a hug.

"We missed you," said George.

"We had no to keep us in line," said Fred.

"We didn't know what to do,"

"There was no one around that could tell us."

Ginny laughed, "Well now I'm back. So now I know exactly what you should do." She smirked, and exchanged it with Harry.

Everyone but the twins were laughing. The twins exchanged horrified glances, _what have we done?_

"I missed you all," said Ginny, taking turns hugging each of her brothers.

As Ginny was hugging Bill, Mrs. Weasley noticed something gold glint on her finger, her left ring finger to be exact. She gasped.

"Ginny, what is that?" asked Mrs. Weasley, unable to take her eyes off the rings.

Ginny followed her mother's gaze and sighed. Harry came to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

The Weasley boys also looked to see what their mother was talking about, they stared open mouthed in shock.

Ginny bit her lip nervously. "That mother is my wedding ring," she said quietly.

"WEDDING RING!" shouted Mrs. Weasley.

"Molly dear, calm down. Let her explain." Mr. Weasley placed his hand on her arm trying to calm her. All of the boys took several steps backwards.

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN, I HAVE NOT SEEN MY BABY GIRL IN FOUR YEARS, AND WHEN SHE DOES RETURN I FIND OUT SHE IS MARRIED," shouted Mrs. Weasley. She turned to face Ginny, "YOU ARE MUCH TO YOUNG TO MARRIED, I WON'T HAVE IT YOU ARE ONLY FIFTEEN. I JUST GOT YOU BACK I WON'T LOSE YOU AGAIN..."

Mrs. Weasley went on like that for several minutes, barely even pausing to breath.

"MUM SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN," Ginny shouted, interrupting her mother halfway through her tirade.

Mrs. Weasley was so startled that she fell into the chair behind her. The rest of the people standing quickly decided summon themselves chairs as well. Mr. Weasley took the only other actual chair there, beside Mrs. Weasley. Harry and Ginny were the only two to remain standing.

"Ginny perhaps it would be better if we all sat down for this," said Harry. Ginny nodded, as Harry summoned a two person settee for the both of them. When they had sat down, he took her hand and began rubbing soothing circles, with his thumb.

"Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George," said Ginny, "The first thing you need to understand that this was no ordinary kidnapping. It was much more complicated than that. You see, we had a choice we could have returned if we wanted too."

"Then why didn't you?" asked Bill, astonished.

Ginny sighed, and Harry wrapped an arm around her comfortingly. "We found out that if we didn't stay, the world would end up in danger. The world is still in danger, but our staying was to help us be able to defend it."

"What do you mean?" asked Charlie, "What danger?"

"You know all of those disappearances?" asked Harry.

Everyone nodded.

"They are only the beginning," said Ginny, "Soon the world is going to be at war."

"At war!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley, "With who?"

Harry and Ginny exchanged a glance, "With the person who opened the Chamber four years ago, the person who is behind all of the disappearances, and the same person who killed my parents."

"But he's gone he died that night," said Percy, disbelievingly.

Ginny shook her head, "That's exactly what he wants everyone to believe. As long as everyone believes that he has time to build up his army without anyone trying to stop him."

"How can he still be alive?" asked Fred.

"Very dark magic," said Harry.

Bill nodded, "Harry's right, I know of several ways that he could have done it."

Ginny smiled, "Thank you Bill."

"You mean it is possible for him to still be alive?" asked Mrs. Weasley, her eyes wide.

Bill, Harry and Ginny all nodded. "More than possible, we have seen proof," said Ginny.

"Proof," said the twins in unison, shocked.

The couple nodded again, "We met him in the Chamber, that was before he had a body."

"He has a new body," said Charlie.

"Yes he has," said Dumbledore, interrupting the conversation, "But I suggest we save this conversation for another time, now is the time for more happy thoughts."

Everyone nodded, "Yes," agreed Mr. Weasley, "Ginny you were explaining why you are now married."

Ginny nodded before continuing, "We agreed to stay, because they where going to train us. A powerful family there adopted Harry, it left him in a difficult situation. There someone of his rank was required to marry by a specific age, the choice was either me or someone from there that he didn't know. We decided that we wanted it to be us, we didn't want to be separated."

"Where have you been?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"We can't say yet," said Harry.

"And why is that?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"We can't say," said Ginny.

"Fidelius?" asked Bill.

"Something like that," said Ginny, nodding.

"What's the Fidelius?" asked George.

"A very powerful charm used to hide things that is not wanted to become common knowledge, only the 'Secret Keeper' is aloud to reveal that knowledge to anyone. It's often used to hide a place's location," explained Bill.

The twins exchanged grins, thinking of all the things they could do with a spell like that.

"Don't even think of it," said Harry, seriously, "It is a very powerful and difficult spell to cast. It should not be used for trivial things."

The twins nodded reluctantly. "We understand."

Ginny assessed the twins, making sure what they said was the truth. Finding no deceitfulness, she nodded, "Good."

"We tell you everything that you want to know as soon as we can. It's just too dangerous to let some of the information out yet," said Harry.

"It's not that we don't trust you," elaborated Ginny, at their hurt looks, "But there are plenty of ways the he can get his hands on it without you telling him or anyone else, and right now that is something we can't risk. We are not even telling Dumbledore, some of it yet."

"Why not even Dumbledore?" asked Charlie.

"Because as the saying goes you shouldn't keep all your eggs in one basket," explained Dumbledore.

The Weasleys nodded, understanding.

"So when are you to going to have kids?" asked Fred, jokingly.

"Fred!" exclaimed all the other Weasleys in the room, except George and Ginny. George was laughing, and Ginny was shaking her head exasperatedly.

"What?" asked Fred, "It's a question that I want the answer to."

"There was no call for to ask it like that," said Mr. Weasley. His voice was calm, but you could tell that he was upset with Fred.

"Sorry," said Fred, ashamed. George was also looking very ashamed. They knew that when Mr. Weasley got like that it was no time to clown around. "Sorry Ginny, I shouldn't have asked it like that."

"It's okay, Fred," said Ginny, "I can understand your curiosity. Not any time soon, is the answer. After the war is over hopefully."

Mrs. Weasley let out a breath, that she didn't know she was holding. Ginny and Harry glanced at her, but didn't say anything. No one else noticed it.

Dumbledore clapped his hands and stood, "Now that I believe the most pressing matters are over. I believe we can all head down to the feast."

Everyone nodded. They all got up to go, vanishing the summoned furniture.

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"Mum, Dad, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Percy what are you all doing here?" Ron asked, shocked. When the group had met up with him and Hermione in the Great Hall.

"What do you think ikle Ronniekins," said Fred, giving Ron a dutch rub.

"Hey, knock it off," said Ron, whacking Fred's hand away. "Harry and Ginny's return?"

"What did you expect?" asked George, grinning, "That we are all returning to school?"

Hermione snorted in laughter. Everyone else, even Percy, quickly followed suit, thinking of how absurd that was.

When the laughter subsided Bill answered Ron's question, "Yes Ronald, that is the reason we are here."

Ron nodded, understanding.

Hermione shook her head at how dense her boyfriend could be. "It's good to see you Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George."

"You too Hermione," they replied, all taking seats at the Gryffindor table.

They all sat talking and catching up on things that they missed. When dinner was over they returned to the Gryffindor Common Room to chat for several more hours.

"So mum, what are you planning on naming the baby?" asked Ginny, leaning against Harry. Who was playing with her hair. They were sitting on a love seat the Gryffindor Common Room, near the fire. Everyone outside of their group had already gone to bed. Percy had left a couple hours ago saying that he had to get up early in the morning.

"I was thinking about Veronica Rose if she is a girl," said Mrs. Weasley. "And Anthony Richard if he is a boy."

"I think they are wonderful names," said Ginny, smiling. Harry nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," said Mrs. Weasley, also smiling. She started to yawn, "It's late I think we shall all go to bed. Ginny dear, we will be back this weekend if that is alright."

Harry and Ginny exchanged a glance, "Yes that should be fine."

The others nodded. They said their goodbyes and the group dissipated. The Weasleys headed to McGonagall's office to use her flew. Ron and Hermione went to their separate dorm rooms, and Harry and Ginny headed to their suite.

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Ginny collapsed on her bed with a relived sigh.

"That went better than expected," said Harry, sitting beside her.

Ginny nodded. "They don't hate me," she whispered.

Harry sighed, he pulled her into a hug. "Ginny they are your family, they will never hate you. Even if they knew that you where behind all those attacks, they still wouldn't hate you. They would understand like I do, that it was not your fault."

Ginny nodded, and hugged him back tightly. "I know," she whispered, "But I can't help fearing it."

"I know Ginny, I know," said Harry. He began rubbing soothing circles on her back. They remained like that for several minutes.

"When do we tell them?" Ginny asked, braking the silence.

Harry sighed, "I don't know, but soon I hope. The sooner the better really, but it is still too soon."

She sighed as well and nodded, "I don't like keeping secrets like this from my family like this, but I'm afraid to tell them. What will they think?"

Harry kissed the top of her, "I don't think that you will have to worry about it. What will come will come, there is nothing we can do about it. For now we should rest."

She nodded getting up.

Harry smiled, and followed her.

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The sun arose to the sight of two figures standing by the lake. They made no move nor sound as they watched the sunrise.

Harry and Ginny stayed there like that until the sun was fully in the sky. Taking each other's hand they walked back to the school in silence. A bird swooped out of the sky and down to them. Harry raised his arm in welcome. The snowy white owl landed on it happily.

"Hey Hedwig," he said, stroking her feathers, with a slightly sad smile. "Haven't seen you in a while, have I?"

Hedwig hooted in reply, and gently nipped at his fingers.

Ginny smiled happily, as she watched them. She reached out and started to stroke Hedwig as well. "So your Hedwig, Harry has told me all about you."

Hedwig hooted again, leaning her head into Ginny's hand.

"She has finally returned to her master," said a voice from behind them. Turning they found Dumbledore standing there.

"Headmaster," Harry greeted. "So what has Hedwig been doing during my absence?"

"That is one smart bird you have there," said Dumbledore. Harry looked at him questioningly, so he elaborated, "She hasn't left the school except to hunt in all of the time that you where gone. I thought it was morning for you, but it appears that like Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger she had been waiting for your return. It was not an uncommon sight to see her flying around day or night. She would often just swoop into the Great Hall and watch the students eat. Another common place to find her was around the memorial," he gestured to it.

Harry and Ginny glanced at it both grimacing at the sight.

Dumbledore smiled slightly, "I take it from your reactions that you do not find the memorial to be in good taste."

"Not one bit. It makes me look like a helpless child," said Ginny, in an icy tone, "And I am no damsel in distress."

"Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger kept claiming that you would have preferred a block of stone as your memorial," said Dumbledore, with that twinkle in his eyes.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a smirk, "Yes that would have been preferable."

"You know that that statue gives people hope," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.

The smirks fell, and they nodded with a sigh, "That's the only thing keeping us from destroying it right now."

Hedwig flew away. Harry and Ginny took each other's hands again. "Until next time Headmaster." They said, walking back to the school.

"Until then," said Dumbledore, watching the couple walk away, appearing to have another of their silent conversations. Before he to slipped away back to the school.

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"What were you doing up so early?" asked Ron, as Harry and Ginny met up with him and Hermione at breakfast.

"If you had to get up at five in the morning everyday, and didn't matter how much sleep you had the previous night, for over three years; you would continue to get up at that time for a long time after you no longer had to do it," said Ginny. She took a seat, grabbed a piece of toast, and began to spread marmalade over it. "You'd also learn pretty quickly to hide how tired you are."

"You had to get up at five in the morning every morning," said Ron, astonished. "What on earth for?"

"It's complicated," explained Harry, scooping some eggs on to his plate. "Our training was very rigorous. We never had a brake from it. Part of it was getting up at the same time every morning, and making sure that even if we hadn't had any sleep the past night we wouldn't show how tired we were."

Ron grimaced, shaking his head, "That's insane. I hate to say it, bit I am glad it wasn't me."

Harry laughed. "No worries mate," he said, slapping Ron on the back. "I'd say the same if it was you."

At the point the mail arrived. An owl landed in front of Hermione carrying the Daily Prophet. She gave the owl some knuts, took the Prophet, unrolled it and began to read.

"Anything about us in there?" asked Ginny, when Hermione had finished.

"No, nothing," said Hermione, shaking her head. "Just another disappearance," she sighed.

"Who was it?" asked Ron, solemnly.

"Someone by the name of Johnson Grant, he used to be an Auror," said Hermione.

"Picking off the defense one by one," muttered Harry, shaking his head.

"Clever," said Hermione, "Head straight for the defense, and with the way everyone is hardly anyone will stand against him."

Ginny nodded, "That's exactly why we need to train the students here."

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Students filled into the Potions classroom. They were silent, but full of anticipation for the upcoming class. Everyone knew that there was a grudge between Snape and Harry. It was widely believed that Harry's return would increase that grudge by tenfold. Snape was one of the few people who actually seemed glad for him to be gone. In fact the was a betting pool on what would happen in that class. Many where leaning towards there being a fight, and not just any old fight an outright duel in the middle of the classroom (only certain Slytherins believed that Snape would even have a chance against Harry-the rumors about him were extremely ridicules and outrageous). Others thought that the class would end up being dismissed early because of all the tension. Even others believed that Harry was going to end up in detention for the rest of eternity. The possibilities where endless.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny took seats in the back of the classroom. They were the first in the room, as everyone else was trying to make sure that they got seats close enough to them so they could see what ever happened. Malfoy and his gang where the only ones that weren't. They sneered at the group and took their usual seats in the front.

The bell rang and the classroom door closed. Snape strode to the front of the classroom. He sneered at the class. "N. E. W. T. Potions are a very complex brand of potions. They go far beyond any that we have covered so far. Those who do not already have a firm grasp on brewing potions should not be in this class," his eyes fell on the group of Gryffindors in the back of the classroom. His lip curled. He caught sight of Ginny's expression and quickly looked away.

The four Gryffindors exchanged a glance.

Snape continued, "If you are unable to keep your grade at an E or higher you will leave this class and not come back," his lip curled again, "Some of you will not be here at the end of the year." He flicked wand, and the page number for the potion they were to make appeared on the black board. "You may begin." He didn't bother to give them anything further.

The class began the usual hustle and bustle of retrieving the required ingredients, as students flipped to the page and sought out what the would need.

Hermione had took one glance at the name of the potion and took off towards the store cupboard and returned with enough ingredients for all of them before Ron had finished finding the page and Harry and Ginny finished reading the ingredients list.

Ron looked up from his book and shook his head, smiling slightly.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at Hermione. Who just shrugged in reply.

The four of them got to work on their potions in silence, having agreed earlier to give Snape no chance to dock points or give detentions.

Halfway into the class Snape was sweeping through the classroom checking everyone's potions. He occasionally stopped to give scathing comments or praise if it was a Slytherin. When he reached Harry's table he said not word, apparently Ginny's comments were still fresh in his mind. His stay at their table was the shortest.

The rest of the class glanced at the table curiously, they wondered why Snape didn't make any scything remarks or do anything other than look at the potions.

**-Chapter End-**


	6. Chapter 5

_A/N: Hello my dear minions, ahem, I mean readers. I know that you guys have waited long and patiently for this chapter (my word, has it really been over a year?), and here it finally is. I am so sorry for taking so long with it. I had ended up losing a large portion of what I had written before, which then gave me a massive case of writers block for it. But now I have gotten over that. In fact I actually like what I have here far better than what a I lost._

_Now I can't promise that updates will be quick. Life has been hectic and crazy._

_Think of this chapter as my Christmas present to you! _

_Also it is not beta'd yet as I am still having problems with downloading the files she is sending me back. As my computer is majorly broken right now I am going to wait until I get a new one (which will hopefully be soon) and then try again._

_On a random note, I currently have a poll going about which of my one-shots is your favorites, so go and vote. Also please check out my new stories._

_Disclaimer: __"No I don't speak gobbledygook, how could you accuse me of such a thing. I don't even know if it is supposed to have an e or a y in it... oh wait, we're not talking about that are we? Oops." Starts grumbling in gobbledygook and storms away, "Nope, I don't the Harry Potter verse, the goblins refuse to sell it to me, something about it being illegal..." Continues grumbling and leaves the scene._

_The author of this story is not responsible for goblins hunting down said stories readers. There are no goblin secrets hidden in the words of said story. If any goblins come interrogating said readers about the whereabouts of said author, said author has disappeared off of the face of the planet and will not be returning._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

A man wearing a hooded cloak, with the hood hiding his identity, strode through the dark hallways of a very old mansion. The mansion gave off a gloomy air, even though it was clean everything seemed to not have been touched for years. It didn't even appear to be lived in. All of the hallways were dark, and only a couple of the rooms had lights on in them. There was an eerie silence throughout the building, causing the man's footsteps to echo, adding to the eeriness.

He paused before a doorway at the end of the hall, seeming to steady his nerves, before pushing the door open and entering the room.

"My lord," he said, bowing low as soon as he was in the room. "I have news from Hogwarts."

"What is it?" hissed Voldemort, more of an order than a question. He did not turn to face his Death Eater.

"It appears that the Potter boy, and the Weasley brat have returned, my lord," said the Death Eater, standing up from his bow.

This caused Voldemort to turn to his servant, "Has your source confirmed it?"

"No my lord," answered the Death Eater.

"When you receive proof that it has been confirmed send out my orders," hissed Voldemort.

"Yes my lord," bowed the Death Eater, preparing to leave the room.

"And Lucius, send in Wormtail."

"Yes my lord," Lucius Malfoy bowed one last time before leaving.

Shortly afterward Peter Pettigrew scuttled back into the room, "Yyy-yes m-my lord?" he stuttered, bowing so low his head touched the ground.

"You know what to do," was all Voldemort said.

"Y-yes, my lord."

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Fleur Weasley, previously Delacour, sat at her kitchen table. She was lost in thought. Bill had come home late the previous night, and he had told her everything he knew about Harry and Ginny's return. He was so excited and happy about it that he was nearly bouncing off the walls. She was very pleased as well, but it left her in a dilemma. She knew where they had been; though, she had never met either of them, she knew of the people they had stayed with. The problem was she didn't know what she should tell Bill, or even if there was anything she could tell him, but she didn't want to lose his trust. She knew he would find out eventually. Oaths were a perilous business, but often an unavoidable one. She could only hope when the time came he understood. _Unless..._

She sighed and placed the letter that she was holding down on the table in front of her. She got up and started to make herself some tea as she thought about it.

The letter was rather unusual. It wasn't made from parchment or paper, but some other material that was very delicate and elegant. It gave off a silvery hue, rather like Fleur's hair. It was pure white in color. The ink that was used to write on it was the color of gold, so close that it looked like real gold and not just any old gold color. Everything about it just seemed unnatural, unearthly. It had no signature, the only thing that marked it was a stamp of a winged red rose.

Fleur's mind was bouncing back between her husband, Harry and Ginny, their return, and what the letter told her. It contained orders from the very same people whom she had sworn oaths to that had prevented her from telling her husband many things. They were instructing her to befriend the Potters, do whatever she could to stay on good terms with them. If she failed there was a high chance of it ending in her death, and many others.

She sat back at the table sipping her tea. She knew exactly what she needed to do. First things first, she needed to have a long talk with her husband, and hoped to death that he wouldn't hate her by the end of it.

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Amelia Bones was sitting in her office in the Ministry of Magic, going over the reports of the most recent disappearances. There was a total of five within the last two weeks. Three of them were junior Aurors. One of the other others was a Healer at St. Mungos. The final one was a young girl, no more than eight, who had disappeared when out for a walk one night. One thing that most of the Wizarding World didn't notice was that there was also an increase of Muggles disappearances as of late. Amelia only knew this because she had made an effort to find out what was happening in the Muggle World at all times, she felt that perhaps one day they might reunite their worlds.

She was distracted from her thoughts by her assistant, Olivia Woods, walking into the office.

"There is a letter here for you ma'am, from your niece," Olivia offered her the letter.

"Thank you Olivia," she said, taking the letter.

Olivia nodded and left the room.

She opened the letter, and began to read it. She usually only got letters from her niece once a week, starting the second week of term. For her niece to send a letter so soon, and for her to receive it at work something important must have happened, so she didn't delay in opening it. She quickly read through it and promptly dropped it. Nothing in all of her years had shocked her so much. She picked up the letter and read through it again. She knew her niece would never dare to make something like this up.

Sighing she placed the letter down and began to rub her temples. This was going to be a lot of paperwork, but it needed to get done. She reached into a drawer and pulled out several various forms, and parchments. She started to get to work, thinking all the while that she had to visit Hogwarts and soon.

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Seamus Finnigan was searching for the blond girl that had stood up in front of the Great Hall the morning of Harry's and Ginny's return. It was nigh-impossible to find her. He didn't know her, as she was a year younger than him and in Ravenclaw. He had spent all of his free time so far trying to find her, but she didn't show up in the Great Hall for meals when he was there. He had even talked to several Ravenclaws about her, they had all called her Loony Lovegood. Not one of them were willing to help in his search. They just laughed at him, thinking he was crazy for wanting to talk to her.

He knew that Ron and Hermione knew her, but they had been spending all of their time with Harry and Ginny, and the one time that he had managed to talk to them they had told him that they had no clue where she could be found either. They didn't know what her class schedule was, nor what she usually did her free time. They had said that she really didn't seem to have a normal routine that she followed. They apologized for not being able to help.

He had checked everywhere he could think of, the Library, the Kitchens, but nothing. The House

Elves said that she visits occasionally, but that was it.

He sighed, his assumption of her was turning out to be rather accurate. He remembered hearing about her, just like everyone else. He had never given her much thought before, thinking that she was crazy along with everyone else, but now he knew she wasn't crazy. She just knew things that so few others did, and if he was right, he was one of those few.

He knew her father ran the Quibbler. He had never read it, but after the they way she acted in the Great Hall he had found a copy and knew that there was more to it than all of those nonexistent creatures, something familiar about it that made him think of the stories that his Grandad used to tell him. He knew the only way that he was going to get his answers was from Luna.

He currently had free period, he was using it to his full advantage, searching for her again, and ignoring his slowly building mountain of homework. The only thing he was concerned about was finding her, in his mind was the most important thing that he could do. He wasn't sure why exactly, but it went beyond finding answers.

He had researched the Library again, with no luck. What his search did tell him was that the fifth year Ravenclaws were also out of class. That had encouraged him to double his efforts in trying to find her. He didn't think that she spent all of her time in her Common Room, what with most of the other Ravenclaws attitudes towards her. The question was where did she spend her time.

He decided to take a break, and was currently leaning against a window letting his eyes wander over the grounds. It was a beautiful, warm day. Many students were already outside taking advantage of it.

His eyes fell upon a head of long, dirty, blond hair walking towards the Forbidden Forest. He knew immediately was her, and he was soon running down the corridor taking the shortest route he knew outside.

Once he made it outside, he paused for breath, looking around. There was no sign of her, but that didn't deter him. She was heading towards the Forbidden Forest, so that's where he headed. Almost running he made his way quickly to the Forbidden Forest. Pausing for breath again he looked around, still no sign of her.

Just as he was about to enter the forest a dreamy voice spoke from behind him, "You really shouldn't go in there alone."

He spun around to find the source of the voice only to find the girl that he had spent the last two days tracking down with no luck.

"Luna Lovegood?" he asked, shocked, amazed, startled at finding her so suddenly.

"Who else would I be?" she asked, smiling at him with her dreamy smile. "And you're Seamus Finnegan."

He stared, _how did she know that? _Shaking it off he said, "I have been trying to find you for the past two days."

"I know," she replied simply, her eyes getting a far away look.

"You know?" asked Seamus, startled. He stared at her trying to understand her, but not succeeding, "How can you know?"

Luna smiled, her eyes focusing on him for a moment, "I have my ways."

When she focused on him for the first time, he felt as though she could see right into him, down to his very soul and was analyzing his very being. It was a creepy feeling but not altogether unpleasant. He shook his head trying to clear it and focus on what he was wanting to talk about.

It wasn't easy, there was something about her eyes that he found very distracting.

He opened his mouth to ask her a question, but she cut him off.

"The answer is yes," said Luna, plopping onto the ground and leaning against a tree. She closed her eyes and started to hum.

Seamus sat beside her, feeling very confused. "But you don't know what I was going to ask."

"Actually I do," said Luna, opening her silvery gray eyes and staring into his.

"How?" he asked, his voice was very quiet as he stared back into her unblinking eyes.

She didn't reply, just smiled at him dreamily.

He blinked, and she was back to staring off into space with her normal absent expression. "So the stories are true? All of the ones me granddad told me?"

She nodded.

"So they are returning?" he asked shocked. He had always thought what his grandfather had told him was just that, stories, and now he was finding out the truth. He didn't know what to think.

Luna smiled. This smile wasn't dreamy like the others, it was a true smile. One of happiness and joy. "Yes they are!"

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When Percy Weasley arrived at work the morning after his family's unexpected reunion, the first thing he did was head straight towards the records department. Being the personal assistant of Bartemius Crouch, head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, he was allowed access to whatever files that were stored there. He goal was the records of all known marriages within the past four years. His main focus was the countries, organizations, groups, etc. that encouraged or even allowed the marriage of those as young as Harry and Ginny were at the time they said to have gotten married.

His search proved to be less than fruitful. There was no record of anyone getting married with in that time frame that fit Harry's and Ginny's description at all. He had even gone as far to broaden his search to include all of the places that he had previously excluded. This led him to multiple conclusions, and none of them were good. There was always the possibility that they were lying, but why would they lie about something like that? None of the answers were good. In fact they all led him to the same conclusions to reasons that he couldn't find records of the marriage for any other reason. He knew his sister wouldn't make something like this up for laughs.

Sighing he placed everything back where it belonged and headed back to his work station. The only possible reasons that they could come back claiming that they were married when the Ministry had no record of its existence and not lie about was for them to have been married by people who were against them, leading to the belief that they had either been brainwashed or were traitors.

Everyone knew that was You-Know-Who was dead. The fact that they claimed that he was back just proved all the more that they were not to be trusted. It was a lie to cover up something else, and direct their attention elsewhere so that their real enemies could attack with little or no hindrance.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't see the inter-departmental memo addressed to him until it hit him in the face. Shaking his head to clear it, after sending a glare at the memo. He unfolded it and read it, promptly dropping it in shock. He picked it up to read again, and again, and again. After reading it for a fifth and final time he placed it on his desk and stared at the wall in front of him. _The Minister wants to see me! _He crowed silently in his head.

He quickly made his way to the lifts, and waited impatiently for one to arrive. When it finally did, he pushed through the small group of people exiting it, ignoring all of the annoyed exclamations that he received in response. He was too focused on all of the reasons that he would have been called into see the Minister of Magic himself. _'Perhaps the Minister is pleased with my work and want to offer me a promotion.'_ That thought elated him as he latched onto it, _'Yes that must be it.'_ He sped up his pace, the sooner he made it to the Minister's office the sooner he would have his promotion.

Not quite as quickly as he desired he reached level one and the outer office area to the Minister's office. Sitting behind the only desk in the room was the Minister's personal assistant. The name plate at the desk read Audrey Watson. She was a somewhat pretty witch with mouse brown hair, a heart shaped face, creamy white skin and light blue gray eyes.

He tapped his foot impatiently waiting for her to take notice. She didn't look up for several minutes, and when she finally did it was with a bored expression. She looked him over. "The minister will see you now," was all she said before returning to her work as if he was unimportant.

He scowled at her disrespect, but didn't say anything as the excitement of being called to see the minister himself returned. As he entered the office all thoughts of Audrey left his mind.

"Ah, Mr. Weasley," said Fudge jovially, "Do have a seat. There's a good chap. Now you must tell me, is it true? Are the rumors true? Have Potter... and of course your sister, returned? Live and whole?"

Percy frowned, the thought of Potter ruining his mood. "Yes. But-"

"Ah excellent! Excellent!" said the minister, rubbing his hands together thankfully. "Thank you Weatherby. That will be all." With those words he turned away from Percy mumbling about needing to give awards, and how best to introduce himself to Potter.

Percy stared at the other man dumbstruck. He couldn't believe that he had been brushed off as if he was completely unimportant. The minister hadn't even gotten his name right, all he cared about was Potter. Potter, everything had to be about "bloody Potter." Scowling he stormed out of the office of the oblivious minister, not noticing the eyes of the assistant on his back.

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Audrey absolutely hated her job. Most of what she had to do was boring paperwork that would make anyone's head spin. Plus her boss was a complete idiot, please that man only ever made it anywhere because of help from people like her, and taking from the pockets of certain individuals of high society.

She might hate the job but there were certain perks to it, firstly she enjoyed watching the stuffed up peacocks chuck full of their own importance come in here every day. It was was one of her greatest pleasures to treat them as most of them deserved, like bugs under her shoe. She knew that Fudge wouldn't fire her for it, he needed her too much. There were the few that she had to treat with complete indifference (as it couldn't be anything more or it would be too suspicious), like Lucius Malfoy, but for the most part Fudge actually encouraged her to do it as he thought it increased in everyone's minds his own importance. She snorted, quietly to herself, as if.

Another of the best better perks was all the little tidbits of information she could pick up. If Fudge knew one tenth of things that she knew about him, he would have disposed of her a long time ago. She was careful that he didn't find out, and even if he did she had a contingency plan in place. She smirked at her desk, it would serve him right to have all of his dark secrets sent out so the entire world could read them.

Her favorite part of the job, was the reason that Fudge had hired her in the first place. He wanted her to get the dirt on certain people, and that was something that she was damn good at. There was a reason that the sorting hat had almost put her in Slytherin instead of Ravenclaw. She never did give him any of the more interesting things that she learned, Fudge was too much of an incompetent to be allowed that kind of power. Knowledge was power, and power was dangerous in the wrong hands, and Cornelius Fudge was the wrong hands for any kind of power. Especially being Minister for Magic, but that was another story entirely.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Percy Weasley, stormed out of the office. She watched him go with a slight frown on her face. She was actually kind of disappointed in him. She had gone to Hogwarts with him, being only two years ahead of him, and saw that he had great potential. He was very intelligent, and yet he had his head stuck so far up the ministry's arse that he could give some of the higher up employees a tonsil examination from the backside. Plus he came from a family she held great respect for. The Weasleys were known for having bright and talented children. She also rather liked that even though being a pureblood family, they didn't follow many of those idiotic ideals that most purebloods had. It was rather sad to see one of them get swallowed up by those same ideals his family abhorred.

As he went out of sight, she had a thought. Maybe she could help him see what was under his nose, and get on a road that would lead him somewhere other than pain and misery. For yes she knew exactly where Percy was heading she had seen many go down that same road, it never ended well. He thought that he was important and of use to the ministry, well most didn't see him that way. He was of use, yes, but that use was only temporary, and would only end with him being thrown out on his arse. Sure, the more sucking up he did the longer he would be of use, but the ending would still be the same.

Hmm, yes indeed Percy Weasley would make an excellent pet project. After all, she always enjoyed a challenge. She thought as she got up from desk to see what her boss needed.

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Bill was pacing back and forth in his office, he had many things on his mind. Though the most important things were is his sister's return and everything that included, and the fact that his wife was hiding something from him.

She hid it well, but he knew her well enough by now that he could tell when was. She rarely hid things from him, and practically only when it came to veela secrets that she wasn't allowed to share with humans, even her husband. Which he understood and accepted when her married her. What worried him about it though was that he was almost certain that it had to do with his sister. He was afraid that whatever it may be would put a strain on their relationship, and considering what it appeared to be about, it might just be an irreparable one. He didn't want anything to come between them, but if she was hiding things about his sister he didn't know how what he would do. He could only talk to her and hope things would work out, it might be strained, but he would try. He loved her, and nothing could change that.

Thoughts of his sister brought the guilt that he felt about it. He was her brother, he should have been there for her. At the time that she needed him most he should have been there for her, but he wasn't and he would never be able to forgive himself for that. He could only be thankful that Harry was there for her, and had remained there for her over the next several years and always would be. He couldn't thank Harry enough for what he had done for Ginny, there was nothing that would ever repay the debt that his family owed the young man, but he would damn well try.

He wished that was his only reason to feel guilt, but it wasn't. He hadn't believed that they would return, he had thought that Ron and Hermione were nuts for thinking they would. He had fallen prey to the belief that his sister was dead. He and Charlie had returned to work in England, so that they could be closer to home. He had even taken a desk job because of it, even though he desperately craved adventure. He could only pray that they would forgive him for his mistake, he should have had more faith in them.

Yes indeed, he had many things to feel guilt over. Yet guilt was not the only emotion he felt about this, there was also a lot of relief for obvious reasons, and confusion. Confusion because for as many answers that Harry and Ginny had brought with them, they had brought even more questions. They wouldn't say where they had been all this time, but he had noticed certain things about them that had him puzzled.

Firstly, while they both wore wedding rings, he had noticed signs of Celtic wedding bands being tattooed to their fingers under the rings. Since Celtic wedding bands were only very rarely used anymore, the only real thing that he could gain from them was that were closer than they let on. Celtic wedding bands were especially the magical ones were known to be used only by those who were already very close and who wanted to become closer still. While they connected the couple more closely after the marriage, first the couple had to already have a strong emotional connection. Without that connection the magic wouldn't work. Marriages such as those were always special, and the couple was respected for having such a close connection, and yet they seemed to be hiding it.

Then there were other things about them that baffled him. While they didn't look older than they should be, and it was more than just having experienced more than others their age. It as if they actually lived longer, like the five years that they had been gone was not five years to them, but closer to ten.

He had always considered himself good at puzzles, after all becoming a top of the notch curse breaker was no easy thing, but seemed that Harry and Ginny were enough of a puzzle to give even him a headache.

"Weasley!"

Jumped somewhat at the sound of his name, and looked to see his boss scowling at him. Having a goblin mad at you was never a good thing, especially when you were working for them, so he quickly answered, "Yes Master Gornuk"

The Goblin scowled at him, "Ragnok wants to see you."

Bill stared at the goblin dumbfounded. Rarely did the Director request to see anyone, especially humans. "When?"

"Now numbskull or is your brain full of mush!" snapped the Goblin, which Bill ignored. Insults were practically required when it came to gobins, it had something to do with honor. Which was one of the things that Bill felt he would never understand about the other race.

Getting to his feet he quickly made his way to the office of the director of Gringotts. The goblins might hire humans for certain things, but that did not mean that they liked them. In fact they practically hated them. What was not commonly known to those outside of Gringotts was that the Director, Ragnok, practically despised everything to do with humans. If he needed something done by his human workers it was almost always relayed through another goblin. It was almost impossible to get a meeting with him if you were human, but what Bill had never heard of happening before was Ragnok actually requesting a meeting with human. Which told Bill this meeting was very important, and if he wanted to keep his life, wasting time was not an option.

He stopped at the tall, intricately designed gold doors that led to Ragnok's office. Doors, that he had never passed through before. He could not remember a time in his life when he had been this nervous. Not even on his first assignment was he this nervous.

As one the two bodyguards on either side of door, opened it for him to enter, he wondered if he was going to make it out of this meeting with his life. Taking a deep breath he walked into the office.


End file.
